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MAID SALLY 














































































































I 



“IT IN TRUTH MUCH CHEERED HER TO SEE MAMMY LEEZER 
COME TRUNDLING ALONG.” 


jHatii ^allp 


By HARRIET A. CHEEVER 

Vl 


Author of “ Little Mr. Van Vere of China'' “ Ted's 
Little Dear'' “ Strange Adventures of Billy Trill'' etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 



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Boston *^Dana Estes 
<£r Company Publishers 


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THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 
Two Copies Received 


JUL 16 1902 



Copyright entry 


HUM f 1- - / « 0 -u 
H.ASS CcxXc. No. 

U8 

COPY B. 


Copyright , 790^ 

By Dana Estes & Company 


y/// rights reserved 


ten 
t € r < < 


* 


MAID SALLY 


c c‘ ^Published, July, 1902 


1 c 


Colonial IPress 

Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. 
Boston, Mass., U. S. A. 


TO 


“ fHuflgutg ” 

SUNNY-HAIRED, BELOVED CHILD OF NURSERY DAYS 
WHO NEVER TIRED OF A STORY 
THIS BOOK IS LOVINGLY 


DEDICATED 









CONTENTS 


CHAP. 

I. 

Heard at Ingleside . 





PAGE 

11 

II. 

The Great House 





20 

III. 

The End of Fairy To 

WN . 




28 

IY. 

The Fairy Prince 





43 

V. 

The New Sally . 





53 

YI. 

The Supper Company . 





65 

VII. 

Sally Says, “ I Will ! 

9f 




78 

VIII. 

A Long Good-by 





90 

IX. 

The Parson . 





103 

X. 

Progress 





116 

XI. 

Face to Face 





129 

XII. 

Who Was She? . 





142 

XIII. 

Two Years . 

• 




155 

XIV. 

Home Again . 





169 

XV. 

A Colonial Ball 





177 

XVI. 

“I Can’t Buy Tea ” . 





187 

XVII. 

The Soldier’s Card . 





198 

XVIII. 

The Breaking of the 

Storm 




212 

XIX. 

One Night . 





220 

XX. 

In Campaign 





233 

XXI. 

The Queer Name 





244 

XXII. 

The Battle of Great 

Bridg 

e . 



254 

XXTIT. 

Maid Sally and Her Fairy 

Prince 


265 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

“ It in truth much cheered her to see Mammy 

Leezer come trundling along ” . Frontispiece 

‘“Good evening, little maid,’ she said, pleas- 
antly ” ........ 96 

“ Sally stood against a tree and sang without 

A THOUGHT OR CARE ” ..... 120 

“When voices and hoof-beats smote upon her 

ear ” 134 ^ 

“ More than one British soldier stationed in 

THE TOWN HAD LOOKED SHARPLY INTO THE 

W 

DEPTHS OF HER SUN - BONNET ” .... 171 

“For Sally neither drew rein nor did Hotspur 

ONCE BREAK HIS LONG, SPLENDID STRIDE ” . 225 

The Battle at Great Bridge .... 262 

“ Maid Sally became a frequent guest at In- 

gleside ” 277 









MAID SALLY 


CHAPTER I. 

HEARD AT INGLESIDE 

“ And the Fairy sang to the poor child, and 
stroked its tangled hair, and smoothed its 
puckered cheeks. 

“ And it sang and sang until the little face 
that had been full of trouble grew bright with 
the cheer of heartsease. 

“ And still the Fairy sang and sang until, 
from very peacefulness, the child’s eyes began 
to droop and softly close, just as the flowers 
droop and hang their pretty heads at twilight- 
song. 

“ And the Fairy sang on and on until the 
little creature in its arms had floated into 


u 


12 


MAID SALLY 


Dreamland, and then had passed far beyond 
Dreamland into Fairy Town. And the child 
skipped through green fields and grassy mead- 
ows, went dancing through beds of flowers, 
and flying in and out of bushes full of sweet- 
est scents. It drank the honey-drops the bees 
love, and sipped syrup of flowers, the hum- 
ming-bird’s food. And itheard ripples of music, 
such as are heard only in Fairy Town, and 
saw lovely little objects with wings of gauze, 
and eyes like sparks of light. 

“ And the Fairy sang and sang, and the child 
dreamed and dreamed, until every shadow of 
its life had faded away. And still it dreamed 
and dreamed — ” 

“ Sally ! Sally ! ” 

The little girl that had been listening under 
the hedge close to the stone wall, jumped at the 
sound of her name. 

Oh, dear ! must she go back to Slipside Row, 
and hear the scolding voice of Mistress Cory 
Ann Brace, after being lifted almost into the 


HEARD AT. INGLESIDE 


13 


clouds, and having a tiny peep into Fairy 
Town ? 

Could she come back to earth again, and 
cook, and scrub, and sew, and do all kinds of 
hard things, after hearing that wonderful scrap 
of glory about the dear, beautiful creatures 
called the Fairies ? 

"Sally! Sally!” 

" Yes, Mistress Cory Ann, I’m coming.” 

Swiftly back through Shady Path and Lover’s 
Lane ran Sally, her frowsly head full of the 
strange, sweet fragment of fairy song that she 
had heard. 

" Now, where’ ve you been ? ” cried Mistress 
Cory Ann, as Sally came panting into the Row. 
“ Not up to Ingleside, I hope ! I had to run 
way up the path to make you hear. Haven’t I 
told you more’n a hundred times you’d better 
keep away from there? Just let the people 
up at the big house catch you pokin’ around, 
and back you’ll come faster’n ever you went. 
Do you hear, Sally Dukeen ? ” 

Strange it would have been had not Sally 


14 


MAID SALLY 


heard, for Mistress Cory Ann’s voice was loud 
enough to have reached way across Lover’s 
Lane. But Sally answered truthfully. 

“ Yes, I hear, Mistress Cory Ann, and I have 
not been on the Ingleside grounds at all.” 

No, she only had been roaming on the bor- 
ders of the beautiful place, then hiding close to 
the stone wall. 

A poor, hard-worked little girl it was that 
had raced back to Slipside Row. And no one 
to glance at her would have thought her pretty 
at all. 

The people who lived in the row of houses 
were poor, but they all liked Sally. Yet all 
they knew about her was that her father had 
boarded with his little girl at Mistress Cory Ann 
Brace’s house, when Mistress Brace lived in 
another town, and in a much finer house than 
any at Slipside Row. But he soon died, leaving 
his little girl, and some money, in Mistress 
Brace’s care. 

No one knew about the money, however, 
except Mistress Brace herself, but had it been 


HEARD AT INGLESIDE 


15 


used as it should have been, there would have 
been enough to have lasted some time, paying 
for the child’s coming needs. But Mistress 
Brace hid it away, meaning to do with it 
exactly as she pleased, while she still kept 
Sally, because, being a smart and willing child, 
she could be of great use. Then Mistress Brace 
moved to a place called “ The Flats,” where she 
lived three years ; now she had lived three more 
years at Slipside Row. 

The mistress was not really cruel to Sally, 
neither was she kind. And very constantly at 
work she kept her, sweeping, cooking, sewing ; 
in fact, doing anything that a growing child of 
eleven years could do. And if ever Sally grew 
tired, and was not brisk as usual, Mistress Brace 
would say that it was to the Town House she 
must go. 

Now Sally had seen old Gran’ther Smithers 
and Aunt Melindy Duckers, who lived at the 
Town House, and she often had seen the old 
building itself, set far back in a grassy road 
that was not at all unpleasant, but so dread- 


16 


MAID SALLY 


ful was the thought of ever having to go 
there herself, that no matter what Mistress 
Brace required of her, she tried her best to 
do it. 

But one great help and comfort was coming 
to good little Sally. An ignorant woman w r as 
Mistress Brace, for indeed she could scarcely 
more than read and write, and she cared more 
for money and show than she did for better 
things, such as learning and filling the mind 
with useful knowledge. 

People who know but little are likely to be 
superstitious ; they are very quick to believe 
foolish and untrue sayings, or things that in 
the least alarm them, perhaps having in them 
something to dread. 

One day, who should come ulong but a kind 
old colored woman, who sometimes passed the 
corner house of Slipside Bow, and noticed how 
much work the little girl who lived there always 
had to do. On this particular day, the next 
one after Sally had listened to the Fairy story, 
as Mammy Leezer saw her scrubbing the steps, 


HEARD AT INGLESIDE 17 

she said to Mistress Brace, who vras standing at 
a little distance : 

“ And when do lil Missy go outen to play ? ” 

“ Children have no need to waste time in 
playing,” snapped Mistress Brace, and she 
glanced around, hoping Sally could not hear. 
“ Don’t you go a-talking ! Sally’s out o’ doors 
nearly all the time ; what more can she want, 
I should like to know ? ” 

The old black woman shook her head several 
times, and looked sly and knowing, as she said 
in her sweet old voice : 

“ Jus’ you keep lil Missy at work all de time 
and see what happen ! Chillerns should have a 
good long play hour eb’ry day. Chillerns should 
hab their suppers right early, an’ de chile dat 
have to work affer de supper’s down her frote, 
doan’t you go a-asting me what happen to de 
pusson dat makes her do de work ! Doan’t you 
go a-asting me dat ! ” 

Mammy rolled her eyes, tossed up her dusky 
hands, and away she trundled as if things too 
dreadful to be spoken were in her mind. And 


18 


MAID SALLY 


Mistress Cory Ann for once forgot to scold, 
because of a creepy feeling that seemed travel- 
ling up her spine. She did not say a word 
then, neither was there danger that she might 
forget what Mammy Leezer had said. 

Mammy lived in her cabin at “ the quarters,” 
at Tngleside, but was getting old and lame, and 
but little work was required of her. A famous 
cook and nurse she had been in her day, but 
now she had “de rheumatiz” in her “jints,” 
and a touch of “ de asthmy ” often at night. 

So beyond doing fancy cooking, when there 
was company at the mansion, or now and then 
tending some one who was ill, Mammy sat 
serenely smoking her pipe at the cabin door, 
while knitting socks “ for de men folkses.” And 
she declared herself “ a berry comforable ole 
pusson,” in spite of her aches and pains. 

Oh, wonder of wonders ! That night, to 
Sally’s astonishment and great delight, did 
Mistress Cory Ann tell the child that “for 
reasons” she would herself wash the supper 
dishes, and she added : 


HEARD AT INGLESIDE 


19 


“ After this, whenever you have worked well 
through the day, I reckon I don’t care what you 
do with yourself after supper, only 'that you 
need not stray far away; I might be wanting 
you.” 

Supper at Mistress Cory Ann’s was not much 
of an affair, but as she boarded two or three 
hired men, plenty of dishes there always were 
to be washed, and nearly bedtime it would be 
before Sally could get cleared up. 

But, now, oh, joy ! as soon as that meal was 
over, Sally was to be free, free ! Up she 
rushed to her cubby of a room in the attic, 
caught up a piece of looking-glass she had found 
one lucky day up by the great house," and peer- 
ing at her own queer little image in the bit of 
mirror, she piped, in tones of great glee : 

“ Did you hear that , Sally Dukeen ? Did’st 
hear that, little Mistress Sally! ” 


CHAPTER II. 

THE GREAT HOUSE 

Of all things lovely and full of fascination 
in Sally’s little narrow world, everything in 
and about Ingleside stood far and away the 
highest in her eyes. 

It was her delight, her admiration, her dream 
by day and her dream by night. Ingleside ! 
With its wide-spreading mansion, its far-reach- 
ing plantation that was, after all, but a short 
run for an agile child from Slipside Row. 

Had Sally known the meaning of such a 
word as “ romance,” which is a sweet and 
wonderful story, or happening, or dream, she 
would have known that the chief bewitchment 
of her life sprang from the dear romance that to 
her fancy was all about fair Ingleside. 

Because, from the time that she had been 


20 


THE GREAT HOUSE 


21 


brought to Slipside Row, when a bright little 
child of eight years, with a keen imagination 
and great love for all that- was tasteful and 
beautiful, it had become the greatest charm she 
had ever known to race, whenever she could, 
through Lover’s Lane and Shady Path, to some 
part of Ingleside. 

Now, when it is told that the great house, the 
immense garden, the fields, stables, cabins, store- 
sheds, and far-reaching plantation of Ingleside 
formed the mansion and estate of one Colonial 
“ place,” you will understand that it>was the 
home of a Southern planter. 

For Maid Sally lived more than a hundred 
years ago, and in truth nearly half as long 
again. And Slipside Row was in the smiling 
South, on the border of Williamsburg* a town of 
the colony of Virginia. And the seat of govern- 
ment for all the colonies of America was at \ 
Williamsburg in those days. But there were 
few large towns anywhere in the country then. 

It was common at.' that time for a man to 
own so large a place that it had a "name of 


22 


MAID SALLY > 


its own, and was a settlement of itself. Sir 
Percival Grandison, the master of Ingleside, had 
come from England, and as lie wanted his place 
to remind him of the old country, he called it 
Ingleside. For in the sweet Scotch tongue, 
“ ingleside ” means “ fireside,” or ingle may 
mean fireplace, or chimney-corner ; so you see 
it gave a home feeling to the place, calling it 
“ Ingleside.” 

There was a large garden before the house, 
so wide and deep that quite a walk it was up 
the path of pebbles from the gate to the house. 
Here were great flower-beds, bordered around 
with thick green box, or with fragrant little 
pinks, or, perhaps, with tufts of white sweet 
alyssum. And here were all kinds, also, of rich, 
old-fashioned blooms : roses of damask, moss 
roses, the flush multiflora, and china rose 3 blush 
roses, Avee Scotch roses, and the sweet white 
garden rose ; great peonies, pink and red, sweet- 
william, marigolds, phlox, both pink and white, 
bachelor’s-buttons, columbine, oleanders, large 
white magnolia blossoms, cockscomb, prim and 


THE GREAT HOUSE 


23 


fine, poppies, asters, portulacas, prince’ s-feather, 
snowballs, dahlias, and lilies of many kinds. 

Dear, dear ! how could one ever begin to tell 
of the loveliness and perfume of just one old- 
time garden, mignonette, fuchsias, heliotrope, and 
geraniums sending out their strong, delightful 
tints and fragrance with the rest ? 

Farther along, striped grass, mints, herbs and 
balsams made the air heavy with spicy odors 
when the dew was on the grass. 

The mansion was built on the generous, old- 
time plan. There were high porches at the 
front, with white, fluted pillars, an enormous 
front door, with a fan-window over the top, and 
side-lights of high, narrow panes of glass. On 
the stoep, or stoop, were benches at the side, 
painted white, where one might sit out in the 
cool of the day. 

Inside, immense fireplaces told of good cheer 
on chilly nights, when a bright wood fire made 
the big knobs on the burnished andirons, or 
“ fire-dogs,” seem as if alive with glancing light. 
Great sofas, wide, high-backed and deep, cov- 


24 


MAID SALLY 


ered with tapestry or brocades, lace hangings, 
wide chairs, ottomans, antimacassars, or tidies, 
footstools, high-backed chairs, with seats wrought 
in worsted work, pier-glasses, reaching almost 
from floor to ceiling, pictures, a piano, some- 
thing quite new then, a carpet , another new 
luxury, also a spinet, a kind of piano of wiry 
sound, a violin, and lute, all were in the ample 
drawing-room. 

In the hall were portraits, some very old, and 
swords, ancient bows and arrows, and a few old 
battle scenes adorned the walls. The newels, 
or posts, at the foot of the banisters, bore great 
carved figures of sea-serpents and griffins, strange 
animals, part lion, part eagle. 

The dining-room had always fresh white sand 
upon the floor, had also heavy carved furniture, 
and against the walls were pictures of hunting 
scenes, and many a pictured feast or revel. 

Up -stairs were great square rooms with 
painted floor and home-made mats in abun- 
dance. Bedsteads, with high posts and “ testers,” 
or canopies overhead. Furniture, covered with 


THE GREAT HOUSE 


25 


chintz, looked fresh and fine, while bedspreads, 
valances, or side-flounces for the beds, tester, 
curtains, dressing-table, and mirror, all were 
made, bordered, or trimmed, with brightly flow- 
ered chintz. 

The spare room, or “ parlor-chamber,” was 
delightfully cool and pure looking, decked out 
in white dimity, stiff with starch, and full of 
an air of grandeur. 

The cook-room of the house was at the rear 
of the mansion, apart from it, and the different 
dishes were carried through a covered passage. 
Afar down the grounds were the stables, back 
of them the quarters of the black servants, 
and still beyond, the wide plantation or tobacco 
fields. 

At one side of the garden, midst lawn and 
shrubbery, was a stone wall bounding one part 
of the grounds, and close to this wall was a 
little summer-house, or arbor, where the young 
people liked to stray of an evening, and enjoy 
the cool, sweet breezes of the fair Southland. 

Just outside^ this high, bordering wall, was a 


26 


MAID SALLY 


thick hedge nearly as high as the wall itself, 
and with but the merest space between. And 
here it was, between wall and hedge, that Sally, 
poor, half-neglected little Maid Sally, was wild 
to cut over from Slipside Row and hide herself. 

Because, ah! because she had found out that 
young Lionel Grandison, son of Sir Percival and 
Lady Gabrielle Grandison, was in the habit of 
roving over to the arbor after supper with his 
books, and supposing himself alone, would often 
read aloud. 

But now, his cousin, the Lady Rosamond Earls- 
court, was spending the summer at Ingleside, 
and Lionel, sixteen, tall, straight, and manly in 
his boyish beauty, was reading aloud evenings to 
his fair cousin Rosamond and his sister, Lucre tia 
Grandison, a Fairy story. 

He had read later than usual the night before, 
and, ah ! it was almost as if a Fairy had lifted 
her lightsome wand and granted some great 
boon when Mistress Cory Ann said to Sally 
that after supper she could go where she liked, 
and work would be over for the day. 


THE GREAT HOUSE 


27 


That would give her time in which to do a 
bit of prinking, even such as pulling out her 
tangled locks and putting her poor little dress 
as straight as she could, then to run over to 
Ingleside at about the time that supper would be 
over there, and Lionel would begin his delightful 
reading. 

No wonder Sally squeezed her own spare 
little sides with delight, as she realized that 
now unless it rained she could fly night after 
night to her enchanted grounds, and hear the 
clear voice of young Lionel Grandison reading 
the beautiful Fairy tale. 

Yes, it was of a truth like a piece of Fairy 
luck that had come into the child’s lonely life. 


CHAPTER III. 


THE END OF FAIRY TOWN 

Sally had not heard the first part of the 
Fairy story, but what she had heard was re- 
membered, every word. 

« And enough it was for her to know that some 
poor -little child had been charmed to rest in 
a Fairy’s arms, and had wandered, in sweet 
dreams, off to Fairy Town. 

She went next day about her work scarcely 
thinking of what her hands were doing, and so 
full were her thoughts of the lovely flowers and 
meadows of Fairy Town that she had paid no 
attention when Mammy Leezer stood talking 
with Mistress Brace. 

Even Mammy Leezer usually looked to her 

like a favored person, and a little of the 

glamor, or charm, that was about everybody 

and everything belonging to Ingleside, was about 
28 


THE END OF FAIRY TOWN 


29 


Mammy Leezer, too. Several times the old 
woman had spoken to her, and Sally liked well 
the “ sugary ” sound of her voice, as she called 
it in her own mind. 

But to-day so full was her mind of the Fairy 
book that she scrubbed away at the steps never 
caring what was being said just beyond her, so 
she did not know that it was what Mammy 
Leezer had said that made Mistress Cory Ann 
give her the whole long twilight and even-song 
to herself. 

It made no difference. Enough for her that, 
supper ended, off she could fly, and in her own 
particular cubby between hedge and wall could 
hear more of the beloved story. 

A very fortunate thing for Sally had hap- 
pened a short time before this, although it 
might be that no one remembered it. Two or 
three great stones had loosened at the top of the 
wall near the arbor, and after repairing, the 
workmen had left a couple of large stones, one 
on top of the other, between the hedge and the 
wall. 


30 


MAID SALLY 


This formed a grand seat for Sally, as after 
perching on the upper stone her head was only 
a little below the wall, and distinctly she could 
hear what was said in the arbor. But she must 
needs push her way through the hedge at quite 
a little distance beyond the seat, where the stiff 
branches were thinner, as at that particular spot 
they were of a thickness to sadly tear her 
clothes and dreadfully scratch her skin should 
she try to get through. 

But the little girl knew exactly where to 
worm her thin little body past the hedge, take 
a twist or two, and there she was, all the more 
completely hidden that the screen was so thick 
near her seat. It never occurred to her that 
.perhaps she ought not to listen. Too untaught 
a child was Sally to know that, and, oh ! the 
delight and comfort of it all ! 

It has been said that Sally was imaginative, 
and a great thing it was for her, too. Because, 
don’t you see, no matter how hard she might be 
working, she could fancy, or imagine herself, 
floating off to Dreamland in a Fairy’s arms, even 


THE END OF FAIRY TOWN 


31 


like the child in the story. Or, in her poor 
little attic room, she could imagine herself 
dressing up before a great, grand mirror, and 
getting ready for a party at Ingleside. 

Now, it has also been said that Sally was 
not pretty to look at, but here is the truth of 
the matter : Sally had dull red hair, and a 
great deal of it. It was the kind of red that 
turned to ruddy gold when the sun shone on it. 
Her features were fine, straight, and what are 
called “ well cut.” Her eyes were a dark red- 
dish brown, growing darker when she was 
troubled or excited, hazel eyes, getting darker 
with every year of her life. Then, strangely 
enough, both eyebrows and eyelashes were al- 
most black, and the lashes long and curling. 

But what child, pray, ever looked pretty, no 
matter how fine her features, who was only half 
clean, wore poor, ill-fitting, unbecoming clothes, 
and whose matted hair might indeed have been 
a disordered wig merely thrown on to her head ? 

Sally’s teeth had “come in” very evenly, 
and had she not been brown as a little Indian 


32 


MAID SALLY 


from being out bareheaded in nearly all weath- 
ers, her skin would have been white and rosy 
red. 

So, see you can, that although the child 
looked plain, and even homely, she yet had 
“ points,” as we say, of great beauty. And then, 
although Sally did not look like a brilliant 
child, she yet was “bright as a dollar.” That 
must mean a new silver dollar, which you know 
is very bright and sparkles in the light. Just 
as maid Sally would have brightened and 
sparkled had she been in the light of a good 
home, with kind parents to teach her as a child 
needs to be taught. 

Oh, but not a word has yet been said about 
her heart, her dear, childish heart. Very well; 
it was a kind, warm, want-to-do-right kind of 
heart. And this it was that made the people 
of Slipside Row like poor little Sally ; it was 
the good heart beating under her shabby little 
gown. 

It was a very sad thing that Sally could read 
only the smallest words, for her father had but 


THE END OF FAIRY TOWN 


33 


taught her her letters when he was called away. 
She could neither write nor spell, and saddest of 
all, — Sally did not care! This shows how 
little she knew about life, or what she needed 
most to fit her for the right kind of a life. 

But the angels watch over good children, and 
Sally was soon to have her young eyes opened 
to things she did not see as yet. And after all, 
there is an old, old saying that “ blood will 
tell,” and we do not know much yet about the 
kind of blood that was running through Sally’s 
veins. 

Now all her heart was bent on hearing the 
rest of the Fairy story, and finding out what 
the happy child saw and did in Fairy Town. 
And soon as she had eaten her supper, tried to 
coax down her thick, rumply hair, and smooth 
her dress into some shape, off darted Sally for 
Ingleside, and taking care that no one should see 
her enter, — she was ever careful about that, — 
like a rabbit she plunged through a thin spot in 
the hedge, and was soon on her rocky seat well 
up by the wall. 


34 


MAID SALLY 


In a few minutes there was a sound of voices 
in the garden, and the rustle of soft gowns 
above her head. It was plain that Lionel 
Grandison, his sister Lucretia, and their cousin, 
Rosamond Earlscourt, had entered the arbor. 
A little light talk there was, then Lionel’s rich, 
pleasant voice took up the Fairy tale : 

“ The days and the weeks flew by as if on 
wings of the wind, a soft, sweet wind ! No 
pleasure was wanting in Fairy Town. There 
was no work, no worry, no rain, no cold, no 
great heat. The flowers gave food to the child 
the same as to the bees and the birds. She 
sipped the clover-like syrup of sweet-pea blos- 
soms, tasted and liked the bitter-sweet of the 
pond-lily, loved the orris flavor of mignonette 
which she drank from the cup of the fairy-bell. 
She drew in the nectar of honeysuckle, and 
tasted the Paradise flavor of the rose. A syrup 
that seemed as if from the Garden of Eden was 
made from spicy pinks, white violets, and valley- 
lilies, mixed with morning dew. 

“ After feasting until she was tired there 


THE END OF FAIRY TOWN 


35 


came four white doves, harnessed to a light, 
silvery carriage, made of snowball flowers. 
Light as air the child flew into the sweet, 
soft carriage, and was borne along above the 
flowers and bushes, but the doves did not fly 
too high, for fear of alarming the merry child. 

“ When the soft twilight of Fairy Town came 
gently down, there appeared a bed made of the 
feathers of the swan, so pure and white, the 
child feared to lie down upon it. But the Fairy 
playfully tossed her on the downy bed, then 
smiled to see how lovely it all appeared to the 
little one that nestled down, and was all ready 
for rest after the delights of Fairy Town. 

“ But the days passed on and on, and lo ! who 
could believe it? The child grew tired, — tired 
of the sweetness, the rest, the dove-drives, the 
do-nothing, care-nothing ease of Fairy Town ! 

“At first she could not believe so strange a 
thing was possible, and feared lest she was only 
stupid and ungrateful. But, alas ! the downy, 
flowery, too easy life became more and more 
tiresome until, in trouble and distress, she went 


36 


MAID SALLY 


to the Fairy with a look in her eyes that the 
wise Fairy understood. Yet she asked kindly : 

“ ‘ What is it, dear ? ’ 

“ ‘ Ah, good Fairy, I fear that I am but a 
naughty, naughty child.' 

“ ‘ Have you done wrong ? ’ asked the Fairy. 

“ ‘ No, I have meant to do nothing wrong, 
good Fairy.’ 

“ ‘ Then, why feel troubled, dear ? No one 
need really worry who has done no wrong. 
Tell me, what aileth thee ? ’ 

“ ‘ I have grown tired, dear Fairy.’ 

“ The Fairy smiled. 

“ ‘ Just as I knew you would,’ she said. 

“‘You knew I would?’ The child’s eyes 
opened wide in surprise. 

“ ‘ Yes ; and shall I tell you why ? ’ 

“ ‘ Please do.’ 

“ The beautiful face of the Fairy glowed with 
love and wisdom, and tiny sparks of light 
seemed to shoot forth from all about her head 
as she replied : 

“ ‘ My little one, my precious one, truth is that 


THE END OF FAIRY TOWN 


37 


every one who conies into the world has some 
work to do, and happiness, and sweet content, 
can come only through doing it. In your home 
you had errands on which to run, and lessons to 
learn. 

“ 6 Ah ! there is the great secret of what 
young people need, and must have, if ever 
they are going to be worth much in the world 
— lessons ! 

“‘But you did not like being useful, and 
doing the errands, nor did you want to study 
and learn your lessons. And so you thought 
that you were troubled and tired — only a fancy 
it was, however. So I wafted you to Fairy 
Town, where all is quiet, downy, flowery, full 
of ease, luxury, and feasting. 

“ ‘ But, because you have a mind to fill with 
useful, glorious knowledge, and a life to fill 
with good deeds, you could not live so really 
useless a round of nought but pleasure. 

“ ‘ Go back to sweet duty, dear one, and 
remember that Fairy Town is not for a child 
of the great King of Heaven.’ 


38 


MAID SALLY 


“ Then the child awoke, and, lo ! she thirsted 
for Fairy Town no longer.” 

Lionel’s pleasant voice ceased. For a moment 
it was quiet in the arbor, then there was a 
rustling sound, and Rosamond Earlscourt’s clear 
voice rang out with a scornful note : 

“ Oh, indeed ! and, indeed ! Then that is the 
reason it hath been told that this Fairy story is 
a good one for all to read, both old and young. 
Because it teacheth the need of learning, and of 
being useful in the world. I call it stupid ! ” 

“ I do not ! ” said Lionel ; “ how can one be 
fitted to live properly without a good degree of 
learning ? And who would wish to live without 
being useful ? ” 

“ What mean you to do with all your wis- 
dom ? ” laughingly asked his sister Lucretia. 

Lionel had wandered from the summer-house, 
and stood on a broad stone near the edge of the 
wall. Sally could see him plainly, although 
there was little danger of his seeing her. His 
head was held erect as he poised straight and 
strong, the look of a man in his face. 


THE END OP FAIRY TOWN 


39 


“I hope/’ he replied, “to make the best use 
of any knowledge I may gain that I possibly 
can. Every one should try to make the world 
better for having lived in it. And it is the 
learning that comes through study and books 
that one must have in order to rightly under- 
stand things. I bethink me our country is 
going to need men of the right kind before 
many years are past.” 

“ The children of the poor cannot obtain 
the learning that comes through books,” said 
Rosamond ; “ prithee, how much must it be 
with them ? ” 

Lionel replied, stoutly : 

“ The lad or the maid who is determined to 
learn, and have the right place in the world, 
can find the way ! The lad or the maid who 
pushes through everything that would hinder, 
and will get learning in spite of difficulties, is 
the one to succeed and to be admired ! We all 
must push our way. I mean to push mine ! ” 

He spoke fearlessly as there he stood, a fine 
lad in fine garments that had been brought from 


40 


MAID SALLY 


across the sea ; his fair, clinging hair had been 
pushed back from his white forehead, for he 
would have none of the queue worn by many 
very young men in those days. His waistcoat 
was daintily ruffled down the front, and a fall 
of lace was about his hands. A broad ring, with 
a clear white stone, glittered on one finger. His 
knee-breeches were of the finest gray linen, with 
gray satin bows and silver buckles at the knee 
bands. He wore, also, long gray stockings, 
“ clocked,” or with wrought figures up the sides, 
and pumps of polished leather with silver buckles 
in the rosettes. 

The son of a gentleman, standing in the even- 
light, the fire of the right kind of ambition, and 
a set purpose in voice and eye, the sunset glow 
bringing out form and features like unto those 
of a young lord ; and — down in the hedge, a 
poor, tangled, ill-kept little maid, gazing upon 
him even as she would have gazed upon a 
Prince in a Fairy story. 

“ Oh, he is a Prince ! ” gasped Sally. “ He is 
like a Fairy Prince. He is my Fairy Prince ! ” 


THE END OF FAIRY TOWN 


41 


Then the poor child flushed and trembled. 

The idea of having dared to think of young 

Lionel Grandison, son of Sir Percival and Lady 

Gabrielle Grandison, as belonging in the leastest 

% 

degree to her, made her tingle with a kind 
of awe. 

“ Nobody knows it but just me/’ thought 
Sally, “and I will have him for my Fairy 
Prince. I can, way down in my heart-place ; 
oh, I must, and I will.” 

She was very quiet for a few moments after 
that. 

Then, all at once, something woke up in 
Sally. Something that had never awakened 
before. It was a sudden thought and knowl- 
edge of what she was herself. 

“Only just a know-nothing! ” she whispered, 
“ a poor little old know-nothing ! ” and she hung 
her head. “ Can’t read ! Can’t write ! Can’t 
spell ! Can’t anything but just scrub and dub. 
Oh, he wouldn’t speak to me, he wouldn’t look 
at me ! How sick my heart feels, and how 
tired I am ! ” 


42 


MAID SALLY 


Then something else woke up in Sally. 
Something stirred in her heart for the first 
time. She tugged at her wretched little dress 
as she repeated : 

“ He said that the lad or the girl that was 
determined to get learning could find a way. 
Did you hear that , Sally Dukeen ? ” 


CHAPTER IV. 


THE FAIRY PRINCE 

Very proud, very rich, very aristocratic was 
Sir Percival Grandison. Very proud and hand- 
some was the Lady Gabrielle Grandison, who 
came of the ancient house of Earlscourt, Eng- 
land. Proud and well educated was Lucretia, 
only daughter of Sir Percival and Lady Gabri- 
elle. Rich, haughty, and pretty was Rosamond 
Earlscourt, niece of Lady Grandison, and a kind 
of w r ard, for Rosamond had no parents, and 
spent much time at Ingleside. 

Last, but not least, first, in fact, in our story, 
comes Lionel, only and deeply beloved son of 
the Grandison household. 

Lionel, no doubt, like the rest of the family, 
was proud of his good lineage. He had deep 
blue eyes, fair hair, a slightly beaky nose, and 
curved mouth, which gave his features a look of 

43 


44 


MAID SALLY 


great pride. He walked, too, with the air of a 
prince, bravely flinging his young crest to the 
soft airs and stanch patriotism of his native 
Southern colony. 

Yet no one called Lionel proud. If anything 
went wrong at “ the quarters,” where were the 
cabins of the black servants, the boys and girls 
were beginning to go with their troubles to 
“ Mars’ Lion” sooner than to “ole Mars” or 
“ Mistis.” 

They were all boys and girls, those black 
people, until they were past fifty; then they 
were generally called “mammy,” “aunt,” or 
“ uncle.” 

And there was not a rood of ground, a horse, 
colored person, gate or wall, but was an attrac- 
tion to Maid Sally, so long as it belonged to 
Ingleside. 

And were it but said that Master Lionel was 
coming along, she would manage to lurk near 
the corner, or catch a glimpse from the window 
of Sir Percival’s grand young son. 

It was June, hot, balmy, fragrant June. And 


THE FAIRY PRINCE 


45 


only of late had Sally found the place in the 
hedge where she could venture through. But 
now it would indeed have been a strong power 
that could have kept her long away from the 
charmed spot. 

It mattered nothing that before the early 
supper she must build up the smart wood fire, 
get down the great spider, and stew herself 
along with the sizzling rashers, or mix the ash- 
cake or corn pone ; oh, no matter for anything 
that must be done before supper, because now, as 
soon as it was over, off she could run to her 
enchanted ground ! 

But on the night when ended the Fairy tale 
we have seen that a new Sally began springing 
into life. Ah, it was true, the child could 
scarcely read, could neither write nor spell, 
and all at once — Sally cared ! 

And if it were strange, it yet were true, that 
she grew dignified, and correct in manner and 
speech, as she asked herself new, hard questions. 
She had come, oh, very slowly and very soberly, 
back through Shady Path and Lover’s Lane, to 


46 


MAID SALLY 


the piece of woods lying to the left of Slipside 
Row. 

Pretty soon Mistress Cory Ann’s sharp voice 
would call her in, and order her to bed in the 
close attic. Sitting on the warm, mossy turf, 
under the great pine-trees, she talked aloud in 
quaint, old-fashioned speech : 

“Now, what, prithee, Sally, are we to do? 
Neither reading, writing, or spelling are properly 
known to Sally Dukeen, and what are the words 
that have just come to my ears ? ” 

She repeated in low tones, and with a good 
show of memory : “ ‘ Who would wish to live 
without being useful ? How can one be fitted to 
live properly without learning ? It is the learn- 
ing that comes through study and books that one 
must have to rightly understand things. The 
lad or the maid who is determined to learn can 
find the way ! The lad or the maid who pushes 
through everything that would hinder, and will 
get learning, is the one to succeed and to be 
admired.’ ” 

Then up glowed the picture again : the manly 


THE FAIRY PRINCE 


47 


figure on the wall, the glory of the setting sun 
lighting up the proud young face, the clothes he 
wore, his lace-shadowed hands, the shining ring 
on his finger. All the scene flamed up before 
her keen imagination as the child glanced down 
at her brown little hands, her scanty dress, and 
her rough, bare feet. 

And the child-sorrow that is very hard to 
bear, burst forth in a deep, choking sound, as 
slipping to the ground, face down, Sally cried 
out : 

“ 0 Fairy Prince ! Fairy Prince ! You 
stand so high, so high above my place on the 
ground. You are in the sun at the top of 
the garden wall. I am under the hedge in 
the shadow, out of sight. Thou art the eagle, 
Fairy Prince, and I the brush bird. You live 
at Ingleside, I at Slipside Row. You have a 
proud, fine name. I am only poor Sally Dukeen. 
What can I do ? What can I do ? ” 

She shook all over with the sobs that came 
hard and fast. 

Ah, but it was because Sally was more of a 


48 


MAID SALLY 


little maid and woman than she knew, that she 
cried and shook with sobs under the pine-trees. 
She had not noticed nor known that the brown 
fingers in her lap were pointed at the ends, and 
had deep, round nails. She did not know that 
the bare brown feet had high, arched insteps 
that meant good blood somewhere not far back 
in her poor little history. She did not know 
that the lank form under her shabby dress had 
graceful lines and supple curves that would fill 
out some day and stand for something better 
than Slipside Row knew of. 

She did not know that it was because a new 
Sally was becoming ashamed of the old one 
that she was crying so bitterly. 

After a time the little maid lay so still that 
she did not hear Mistress Cory Ann calling her 
to come into the house. But as there was no 
reply, and it was getting late, Mistress Brace 
thought that Sally had gone to bed already, 
and so she troubled her head no more about her. 
She bolted the loose front door, put out the dim 
candles, and was soon asleep. 


THE FAIRY PRINCE 


49 


And Sally was sound asleep, too. Flat on 
her face, lying on the soft, dry moss, she slept 
as sweetly under the quiet stars as though she 
had been on her small husk mattress. The 
, gentle winds stirred the red gold of her curly 
hair, and cooled her heated cheeks. She might 
have slept on until morning had it not been that 
an owl, perched high in one of the pine-trees, 
hooted in loud, solemn tones, “ Too-whit ? too- 
hoo ! Too-whit ? Too-hoo ! ” 

Then Sally opened her eyes, raised her head, 
and looked around. She remembered where she 
was, but was not the least afraid. Many a time, 
in midsummer’s heat, had she thrown an old 
shawl about her, and slept sweetly under the 
pines the whole night through. 

But Sally did not go right to sleep again. 
Instead of that she sat up against a tree, and 
began talking aloud to herself. 

“ Now, what am I to do ? My Fairy Prince 
said that any one could get learning who was 
bound to find out a way.” 

Sally again looked around, as she said, “ My 


50 


MAID SALLY 


Fairy Prince,” as if afraid to have even the 
winds hear her. 

“ I care not,” she said, “ I will call him my 
Fairy Prince. No one can hear, and it doth 
surely help me in a way. It is unseemly, I 
dare say, but I must, I must, and will ! But, 
however am I to get learning? Could I only 
go to a dame school, but, chicks and crows ! as 
well might I seek to fly to the moon.” 

She giggled in a healthy, childish way, sure 
sign that she was feeling better, and that her 
sweet nature was coming up to her help. 

All at once she drew herself up, held high 
her head, breathed hard a few times, then said, 
slowly : 

“I am a maid that is determined to get 
learning, — and I will ! ” 

At that she lay down again, and slept until 
the sun was high. Then up she jumped, crept 
into the kftchen, and began setting the table 
while Mistress Brace was down at the spring 
getting fresh water. 

All the hot morning Sally was busy at her 


THE FAIRY PRINCE 


51 


scrubbing and cleaning, and it must be told that 
not as happy or as sure did she feel as in the 
morning, because the hot sun and the wood fire 
had taken down her spirits. 

And so, as she rested for a little in the after- 
noon, on the steps she had scrubbed in the 
morning, it in truth much cheered her to see 
Mammy Leezer come trundling along, and to 
know she would hear the dulcet voice. Her 
face lighted up, but not before Mammy had 
seen the sober, longing look she had worn a 
moment before. 

“ What a-matter, honey ? ” The question was 
in the caressing voice of the old Mammy. 

“ I was wishing,” said Sally. 

“ What for?” 

“ For things I must wait long before getting.” 

“ And you want 'em bad, honey ? ” 

“ Oh, dreadfully.” 

Mammy shook like a jelly-bag. “ You look 
a-here,” she said, “ you jus’ look a-here ; jus’ 
as shore as a lil young one have a clef in de 
middle ob her chin way down, she a-goin’ fo’ to 


52 


MAID SALLY 


get what she want’n. You mind now ! I neber 
seen a lil pick’ninny, w T hite or brack, have a 
split long de lower story ob her chin, but firs’ or 
last she’s gett’n’ her own way. Doan’t yo’ fret 
now, but ’member what I tole you, and you’s all 
right. And yo’ lil chin is most split’n’ in half. 
Lorr ! it a mercy it hole togedder so long ! ” 
Mammy went rolling along, still shaking with 
laughter, while away ran Sally for a peep into 
her fragment of a mirror. 

“ My chin is split along the middle way down 
low,” she said, “ and perhaps Mammy knows ! ” 
She felt happy again when it came time to 
put the leaf up against the wall, get down the 
plates from the old dresser, mix the ash-cakes 
for supper, and set the rashers to sizzling. 


CHAPTER Y. 


THE NEW SALLY 

When Sally went to the attic, having it in 
her mind to fix herself up a little, she had a 
feeling of anxiety she did not understand. But 
you see, it was the new Sally, beginning, just 
beginning, to spring into life. 

And the first thing she was learning was her 
own ignorance, her own needs, and her own 
wants. 

“ My head is like a scarecrow ! ” she said ; 
“ where can I find a comb ? ” 

She crept down to Mistress Cory Ann's room 
and found a coarse, half-broken comb. Alas ! 
she could do nothing with it. Her ruddy hair 
curled around it, across it, along it, but through 
it the matted mass would not go. 

It had taken a few moments to make the at- 


53 


54 


MAID SALLY 


tempt, and time was precious. So the tangled 
mop was smoothed over, the old dress pressed 
down, and off ran Sally for her secret, rocky 
seat by the wall. 

Not long had she waited when a merry com- 
pany came trooping over to the arbor and young 
voices filled the air. Sally knew the voice of 
the Fairy Prince, of his sister Lucretia, and his 
cousin Rosamond. And when the names of 
“ Reginald ” and “ Irene ” reached her, she knew 
that young Reginald Bromfeld and Mistress 
Irene Westwood, besides two or three others, had 
rustled over to the airy summer-house. 

Much it pleased her for awhile to hear the 
bright and witty speeches that were bandied to 
and fro ; then Sam Spruce, a colored boy of 
about twenty years, in white short sack, black 
cotton trousers, and white apron, came gliding 
over the side lawn, tray in hand, and on it were 
small glasses, a crystal pitcher, a silver cake 
dish, delicate plates, and very small, snowy nap- 
kins. 

“Well, Sam,” exclaimed Lionel, in the free 


THE NEW SALLY 


55 


and easy speech often used toward the blacks, 
“ what have you brought for our refreshment ? ” 
Sam, who had been born in the colonies and 
felt pride in his niceness of speech, replied : 

“ There Y jujube paste patties, macaroons, 
and sangaree, Mars’ Li’nel.” 

“ Very good, Sam. Set the tray on yonder 
bench ; we will see to passing things ourselves.” 

There was a cheerful chinking of glasses, much 
laughter, and the sound of gay spirits, while, her 
sharp imagination at work, Maid Sally fancied 
herself one of the group above her head ; “ and 
yet,” she said to herself, “should my Fairy 
Prince indeed sit beside me, and hand me fine 
delicate food and a sweet drink, I think I might 
die of delight, I do indeed ! ” 

In a few minutes more, the poor child’s pleas- 
ure became disturbed, for Corniel, the colored 
butler, came shuffling over to the arbor and said, 
in a manner dignified and respectful : 

“ Mars’ Lion, dar have mor’ comp’ny come 
over to de house, and Mars’ Gran’son he send 
his comperalmunts, and would like fo’ to have 


56 


MAID SALLY 


de young people come up to de dra win ’-room 
and make some music on de peranna and de 
wiolin.” 

“Very well, Corniel, we will come directly,” 
answered Lionel, and away trooped the high- 
born lads and young mistresses, leaving Corniel 
to gather up the dishes, and leaving poor disap- 
pointed little Sally to wander off from the spot 
that all at once had become quiet and lonely. 

As it would be daylight for the space of two 
hours more, Sally roamed about, amusing her- 
self at seeing what else was going on round and 
about the place. 

Peeping through the garden fence, she watched 
a colored man, who, kneeling before the flower- 
beds, plucked up the weeds, tossing them aside, 
and trolling a light song as he worked. 

“ I too, would sing, could I but live at Ingle- 
side,’’ murmured Maid Sally. 

But an inner voice replied : “You would not 
wish to be a servant anywhere.” 

Then across she went to the bars that formed 
the far boundary of the wide garden. 


THE NEW SALLY 


57 


Well back of the house in the direction of the 
stables, old Uncle Gambo was cutting grass with 
a winding scythe, that had a handle so long it 
reached way above the old man’s head. 

Uncle Gambo declared he was “a hun’erd an’ 
ten yeah ole,” and as no one could very well 
dispute it, no one tried to. But as year after 
year rolled away, Uncle Gambo would still say, 
“ I’se a hun’erd and ten yeah ole.” 

“ Yes, but the same story you told me two 
years ago, Uncle Gambo,” Lionel once said to 
him. “ You must be a hundred and twelve now.” 

The old negro shook his white, woolly head. 
“ No, no ! I’se a hun’erd and ten yeah ole ; I 
allurs was, I allurs shell be.” 

That settled it. But as the white people 
knew that the colored men and women usually 
became seventy-five or a hundred years old very 
rapidly with their way of reckoning, no one so 
much wondered at Uncle Gambo’s age. 

Sally watched the old man reaping, for it fas- 
cinated her to see the rich, ripe grass lie 
smooth and evenly shorn wherever the scythe’s 


58 


MAID SALLY 


keen blade swept over it. Then she strolled 
still farther along, trotting down and down 
until she stood near the stables. 

A groom was trying to comb a splendid black 
hunter, — a fine saddle horse, — that champed 
as though a bit were in its mouth, and stepped 
and curved around, until Bill, the groom, w T as 
out of patience and exclaimed : 

“ Come now, Hotspur, you crazy coot, stan’ 
still, cain’t you ! Be a genl’man fo’ once, Hot- 
spur, and I’ll comb you with a bran’ fire new 
brush, Mars’ gib me las’ night.” 

At that a queer, wiry brush, partly worn out, 
was thrown over the bars, falling so near Sally’s 
head, it was well it missed hitting her. But no 
one saw the little girl beyond the strip fence, 
and immediately Bill w r as combing Hotspur’s 
glossy sides with strokes so strong and even 
that the great horse stood stock still. 

Sally looked at the brush Bill had tossed 
away. 

“ That looks as if it would make my hair lay 
slick,” she said. “ I’ll take it home, carry it to 


THE NEW SALLY 


59 


the spring and wash it, and try it on my own 
mane.” 

She laughed at her own funny words and put 
the brush in a hanging pocket under her gown, 
that Mistress Brace had made for her to 
carry money in safely, when she went on 
errands. 

Then away and away she wandered until she 
had reached the quarters and* could peep at the 
cabins of the colored people through bushes and 
shrubs that were far beyond the stone wall, but 
on the same side. 

At a little distance she looked upon Mammy 
Leezer sitting against the side of her cabin on a 
chair that had no back, her pipe in mouth, her 
hands lying idly in her lap, the knitting for 
once laid aside. 

Sally wished she dared go over and talk with 
the old woman. Yet again that inner voice 
answered : “ No, no ! Mammy Leezer, though 
kind and comforting betimes, could not be 
a fitting companion for you. Go, not after 
her, even though it be pleasant to meet her 


60 


MAID SALLY 


and hear her soft voice when she speaks to 
thee.” 

“ Perhaps it is because she is black,” thought 
Sally. 

“ Oh no, no ! ” spoke the little uprising voice 
again. “ It is because you are different in 
every way from her and her race, and must 
not forget it.” 

Then it was that Sally remembered that sev- 
eral times of late there had seemed to be an 
inner voice that talked to her, and tried to 
teach her things she had not known, or at least 
had not thought of before. 

She gave a quick jump, clapped her hands, 
and exclaimed, in a soft but jubilant voice : 

“ Oh, I know what I will do ! I’ll make 
believe there are two of me. One shall be 
really me, Sally Dukeen, then there shall be 
another Sally, a fine, new one, that has been 
taught by the Fairies, and knows all things 
that are seemly and proper, even as the upper 
people do. 

“ Yes, and I will talk with her,” Sally went 


THE NEW SALLY 


61 


on, the pleasant imagination rapidly growing in 
her quick mind. “ I will ask her what to do 
and how to act, and listen I will to all she can 
teach.” 

The idea pleased her so much that she was 
in a mood to enjoy anything, and she was feel- 
ing light-hearted and full of smiles, as a little 
toddling pickaninny, or small black child, ran 
up to Mammy Leezer, crying out : 

“ Trip ! Trip ! go trip, go trip ! ” 

“ Lordy sakes ! ” exclaimed Mammy, “ if here 
isn’t lil’ Jule asting me fo’ to dance her. I ain’t 
got de strength to dance yo’ to-night, lil’ honey, 
de rheumatiz have ketched a holt of my back 
too bad, and got all de grit outen me.” 

“ Trip ! trip ! ” cried the cute little Jule, run- 
ning up to Sam Spruce, who was on a rough 
chair made from tree branches. 

“ I cain’t sing the jingle,” said Sam. 

“ No matter,” said Mammy, with a wide 
grin, “you dance de lil’ cricket, an’ I’ll do de 
singin.’ ” 

At that Sam crossed his knees, put little Jule 


62 


MAID SALLY 


on one .foot, and bending over, kept hold of the 
child’s hands while Mammy crooned in a loud 
singsong, chiefly to one note : 

“ Trip-a-trop-a-tronjes, 

De-vorken-in-de-boonj es, 

. De-koejes-in-de-klaver, 

• De-Paarden-in-de-haver, 

De-eenj es-in-de- waterplass, 

* So-pop ! my-lil’-pick’ ninny goes ! ” 

As Mammy began the slow singsong, Sam 
began gently swinging the foot up and down on 
which sat the tiny, laughing Jule, and as the 
jingle went on, the foot swung faster and faster, 
until, as Mammy brought out the words, “ So 
pop ! my lir pick’ ninny goes ! ” Sa^ri tossed the 
shrieking child into his lap, where she could 
only gasp with laughter, until able to catch 
her breath. 

Then it was one crying tease for “ Anudder 
trip ! Anudder trip ! ” until six times had baby 
Jule been teetered on Sam’s strong foot, and 
tossed into Sam’s strong arms, Mammy mean- 
time beating the measure with both feet as she 


THE NEW SALLY 


63 


trolled the song with its rapturous “ pop ! ” for 
little Jule. 

The sixth trip was ended as Corniel came 
leisurely over the grass. 

“ Mammy/’ he said, “ Mars’ Gran’son send 
word dat de capting and some udders will have 
supper to-morr’ night on de green over by de 
summer-house. And he want you to make some 
porkapine marmalade, some melon puff, some 
peach tart, and some sorghum foam to eat on 
pandowdy with de salads.” 

Mammy immediately straightened up, put on 
a face of great importance, and began : 

“ I ain’t fit fo’ to try cookin’ fancy tings fo’ 
gret suppers, but — ” 

“ Oh, very well,” said Corniel, interrupting 
her, “ Jinny can do it if you ain’t able ; Mars’ 
said so.” 

But Mammy cried out, in a tone that made 
her soft voice seem very shrill : 

“ Go ’way, you C’neel, talkin’ ’bout Jinny 
doin’ my cook’ry. I’d like to be seein’ de pork- 
apine marm’lade shed be makin’ ! And what 


64 


MAID SALLY 


do dat Jinny know ’bout whipped sorghum or 
melon puff, I should like to inquaire ! Tote 
off, now, you C’neel, an’ don’t go talkin’ ’bout 
dat Jinny doin’ my fancy cook’ry any mor’, but 
jus’ you tell Mars’ Gran’ son I’ll hev dat supper 
firs’ class in eb’ry respeck.” 

Sally somehow liked the pride and scorn that 
rang out in Mammy’s voice at the idea of there 
being any one else who could do her cooking as 
well as she could. 

“ She believes in herself,” thought Sally, 
“ and it is a good thing.” 

Mammy hobbled into her cabin as Corniel and 
Sam went toward the house, little Jule tagging 
into the cabin after Mammy. And Sally went 
back through the sweet air and green roads, and 
through Shady Path and Lover’s Lane, her mind 
and ears full of the merry laughter of happy 
little Jule. 


CHAPTER VI. 


THE SUPPER COMPANY 

When Sally heard the order for the supper 
company the next night, she at once decided 
that her own simple meal must be quickly 
eaten, as she must see something of the fine 
things at Ingleside. 

By standing on the rocks it would be easy to 
peep through the thin tangle near the arbor 
just above her head and close by the wall. It 
would not do to take long peeps, but she could 
take several for a moment at a time. Yet she 
must beware : a sudden gust of wind might 
part the slight brush, show her bright eyes, 
then, alas, the pleasure it might take from 
her ! 

Oh, but it was wonders she did with the old 
brush, the same that the groom had thrown 

65 


66 


MAID SALLY 


away at Ingleside ! She did not wait until 
evening to try it, but during the afternoon, with 
the bit of looking-glass propped up before her, 
she patiently brushed and brushed, until some- 
thing like a parting appeared along the middle 
of her well-shaped head. 

At that she took a stout pin, and running it 
down the uneven seam, made a beautiful even 
parting, the thick, ruddy hair standing high on 
each side of it. 

“ My, how pretty that looks ! ” innocently 
murmured the child. Then again she brushed 
and brushed, until the ripply mass shone like 
unto burnished gold. And now, instead of a 
matted mop, it lay row upon row of soft, loose, 
orderly ringlets, so careless yet neat in arrange- 
ment that Sally awoke right there to a knowl- 
edge of the extreme beauty of her luxurious 
hair. 

She gurgled with laughter, saying, in the pre- 
tended new voice : 

“ You will find out considerable about your- 
self, Maid Sally, what you can do, and maybe 


THE SUPPER COMPANY 


67 


what you can be, if only you follow what I 
teach. High time it is you waked up.” 

Then replied a forlorn young voice : 

“ Yes, but what good doth it do a poor thing 
like me to wake up ? It is only to find out how 
mean and soiled is my dress, how brown are my 
hands and feet, and worst of all, that no matter 
how hard I might long for it, learning is not for 
a maid of my quality.” 

“ Prithee, be patient ! ” cried the new Sally, 
cheerily. “ Thou hast already made of thyself 
a more seemly looking maid ; still better things 
may come ere long.” 

New words came into Sally’s mind as she 
talked to her other self, and her language be- 
came more proper, sure sign that somewhere 
within her a truly fine nature was hidden away. 

When she appeared at supper that afternoon, 
Mistress Cory Ann exclaimed : 

“ Oh, good Peter !* do look at the young one’s 
head, will you ? Now have you been meddling 
with my comb to-day ? ” she asked, sharply. 

“ I found an old brush that I washed and 


68 


MAID SALLY 


used, Mistress,” Sally answered, “ and I think 
it were time my hair should be made decent.” 

“ Now don’t go wasting time trying to get up 
smart looks,” said Mistress Cory Ann ; for, truth 
to tell, it was sorry she felt to see the great 
change and improvement in Sally’s appearance. 
And what was more, she had noticed that the 
useful child was growing careful and thoughtful 
in a way she did not at all desire she should. 
Because, if Sally began making the most of her- 
self, what might it not lead to, pray ? 

She was through her supper so soon that 
Mistress Brace again said, tartly : 

“ If you take not time to eat your victuals, 
seeing you are let off after supper, it is to the 
table you will stay until the rest of us are 
through.” 

Sally thought to herself, “ I will tarry longer 
at the table to-morrow night,” but now, off she 
flew, and in a trice was through the hedge, on 
the stones, and peeping with great care at a 
wonderful table, such as she had never dreamed 
of in her brightest of fancies. 


THE SUPPER COMPANY 


69 


The long board gleamed with shining, spotless 
linen. Glass and silver dishes covered the table. 
Sprays of green, and bright, choice flowers lay 
around, and in between the plates and glasses, 
with charming color and taste. 

Corniel, in white clothes, with several colored 
girls about him, who were to assist in waiting, 
was flourishing about, placing food at proper 
spaces, setting chairs, and giving orders in a 
pompous way Sally thought he must enjoy. 

Mammy Leezer’s cookery was indeed most 
beautiful to look upon. The porcupine marma- 
lade, on two separate platters of white china 
ware edged with gilt, was a thick jam made 
from plums or prunes, then turned out from 
long oval moulds, and stuck all over with small 
spikes of cocoanut meat, standing straight and 
stiff, looking in very truth like the quills of the 
little animal called the porcupine. 

The melon puff was a splendid-looking mass, 
heaped high in a tall glass dish, and appearing 
as if made from strained melon pulp, and the 
whipped whites of eggs with powdered sugar. 


70 


MAID SALLY 


The peach tart was a form of pie with golden- 
looking sauce peeping up between crisscross 
strips of rich puff paste. And pandowdy with 
sorghum foam had the look, in a deep glass dish, 
of being apple sauce and pie-crust mixed, with 
a delicious pyramid of golden-colored whipped 
sugar standing in a point on the top. 

Chicken salad, in other long white and gilt 
platters, was beautifully ornamented with white 
and yellow rings of hard-boiled eggs, having 
sprigs of green run through the rings in a way 
to form fancy garlands above the crisp whitey- 
green bordering of lettuce leaves. 

“ Oh, it is the food of the Fairies ! It is the 
food of the gods ! ” 

Sally whispered in soft delight to herself, not 
noticing or scarcely knowing what she was say- 
ing. All her soul was steeped in wonder at the 
fine, the beautifully fine, things spread before 
her. 

“ But they are not for me,” she sighed. “ Oh, 
no, never can they be for me ! ” 

“ Why not ? ” asked the cheery voice that 


THE SUPPER COMPANY 


71 


Sally was beginning to listen for, and to like 
much to hear. 

“ I’m so poor/' answered Sally, with the usual 
downward look at frock, hands, and feet. 

“ Lift yourself up,” said the voice, that 
seemed ever determined to help and comfort 
poor Sally. 

“ I will try,” she replied. Then, in a spark- 
ling, sunshiny way, she said to herself : 

“ Oh, you shall be my good Fairy, you new 
voice ! Why not ! I will call you the Fairy 
whenever you speak.” 

“ Very well, then. You can call me the good 
Fairy, and Master Lionel can be your Fairy 
Prince.” 

“ Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! ” gasped Sally. “ How 
dreadful ! How ever can I dare ! ” 

She almost tumbled from her perch, so 
great appeared her presumption in allowing 
the thought of coming so near to the Fairy 
Prince even in imagination. 

But the hopeful voice was talking again : 

“ Do not put yourself down all the time ; there 


72 


MAID SALLY 


may be no reason why you should not rise, if 
you will ! ” 

Sally sat down and began thinking in half 
wonder. “ Now what, oh, what, makes me to 
have thoughts like that?” she asked, in per- 
plexity. “ Are there very truly two Sally s 
inside my skin ? ” 

She was too much in earnest to laugh as she 
went on : “ All is, if there be, we must help 
each other. Thankful should I be to rise in the 
world, and great, great joy would it be if some 
good Fairy could come and live with me, helping 
me to rise. Listen, listen will I for your voice, 
good Fairy, and run wherever you send, and do 
whatever you bid.” 

Then Sally heard many voices, and the rustle 
of silken garments, and she knew that a soft 
swish of line muslins and delicately shod feet 
were coming over the lawn. 

She dared one peep at the gay company. 
There was Corniel, in all his glory, viewing the 
table he had spread so finely, and Sam Spruce, 
with a high head and knowing air, directing the 


THE SUPPER COMPANY 


73 


waiters by signs and nods. The company was a 
mixed show of splendid coats, gowns, and shim- 
mering laces, but the peep was a short one, and 
Sally was seated again. 

A great chattering, mixed with joyous laugh- 
ter, floated across the wall, but a “ mocker,” the 
lovely mocking-bird of the South, mingled his 
notes with it all, and Sally could hear nothing 
distinctly in the pleasant confusion. 

Then the charming bird-notes hushed, as 
some one asked plainly a question of the 
Fairy Prince. 

“ To which university do you go, Master 
Lionel, to Oxford or to Cambridge ? ” 

“ I hie me to England in the early fall, to be 
tutored a year for Oxford. It is to the older 
university I would go.” 

“ And how old may Oxford be ? ” asked a 
^young voice. 

“ It was founded by Alfred the Great, ’way 
back in the ninth* century, 872,” came in the 
firm, assured voice of the Fairy Prince. 

“ And Cambridge ? ” asked some one else. 


74 


MAID SALLY 


“ In 1257/’ came the quick reply. 

“ And you go in the Belle Virgeen f ” 

“ In the Belle Virgeen , most surely.” 

“ What will be the whole course ? ” was the 
next question. 

“ Five years if I finish. Affairs may be such 
as to prevent my finishing.” 

“ Oh ! Ah ! Indeed ! ” cried a voice of mock 
surprise. “ Five years to fit a lad, who already 
hath somewhat in his noddle, to do a man’s 
work ? ” 

“And but twenty-one will I be then,” an- 
swered the Fairy Prince. “ Youth is the time 
for study.” 

“ And is so very much learning needed ? ” 
asked a womanish voice which yet was a man’s, 
“ for the young gentleman who will have lands 
and servants of his own whenever he wants 
them ? ” 

“ No man can properly care for houses, lands, 
or servants, who hath not a fair stock of the 
right kind of learning,” said Lionel, stoutly. 
“ Besides,” he added, “ they say that there are 


THE SUPPER COMPANY 


75 


troublous times ahead in our fine new country, 
and one must have a clear understanding of his- 
tory, laws, and rules of government in order to 
act wisely. The colonists may have to act with 
great decision before long, and a man should be 
equipped ‘ to follow the right side.’ ” 

“And well prepared you will be, lad, when 
that time comes ! ” cried the hearty voice of 
Captain Rothwell. 

The foppish voice asked again, in tones that 
all at the table could not hear, nor could Sally 
have heard only that the young man was seated 
close by the wall : 

“And what will comfort the sister and our 
fair Lady Rosamond, meantime ? Eh ? eh ? eh ? 
And our fair Lady Rosamond, prithee ? ” 

“ There will be homeward trips in the sum- 
mer,” Lionel replied ; “ no one will need forget 
me.” 

“ Well, maids must weep when swains de- 
sert,” lisped the silly young man, whom no 
one answered. 

Then the mocker trilled again, the talk be- 


76 


MAID SALLY 


came confused, coming in fragments across the 
wall. But Sally’s eyes were big with a kind of 
sorrow, and there had come a fast rising and 
falling at the bosom of her faded little gown. 

“He is going away!” she sighed. “My 
Fairy Prince is going away. The fall will 
come soon, and away will he go to make the 
difference between us greater still. Ah ! ah ! 
why did the fine voice arise within me, only to 
show the great distance that lieth between the 
rich and the poor, those who can learn, and 
those who know naught?” 

“ Oh, be quiet, child, and cease repining,” cried 
the good Fairy. “ Bestir yourself ! Watch your 
Fairy Prince while you may, as it comforts you, 
and when he goeth forth to study, go you forth 
also, and seek out ways to learn yourself. There 
lieth five years between your age and that of 
the Fairy Prince, feel you not within your heart 
that very much might be learned in five years 
if with a strong will you do your best for Maid 
Sally?” 

“ The will is strong enough,” whispered Sally, 


THE SUPPER COMPANY 


77 


u the will is not wanting, but the way, dear 
Fairy, who will show me the way ? ” 

“ Watch ! ” cried the Fairy. “ Keep the will, 
and watch for the way. It will come ! Did 
not the Fairy Prince himself say so ? There is 
a mind within you. Stir it up ! Jump over 
hindrances, Sally Dukeen, and find for your- 
self a way. It is there ! ” 

“ I will do my best to obey thee, dear Fairy,” 
said poor little Sally. 

But down deep in her “ heart-place,” a pain 
was tugging, a new pain she did not in the 
least understand. 

A foppish voice kept sounding in her ears : 
“ Eh ? eh ? eh ? And our fair Lady Rosamond, 
prithee ? ” 


CHAPTER VII. 


SALLY SAYS, “ I WILL ! ” 

Sally knew all about the brave Belle Virgeen. 
In those days the Virginia gentleman was not 
only lord of his house and lands, but up the 
river came the vessels that bore the tobacco 
straight from his fields or sheds to far distant 
shores. 

The black men planted, cut, and packed to- 
bacco, then acted as porters in carrying it to 
the vessels. And Sir Percival owned a part of 
the Belle Virgeen , which twice a year came back 
from the old country, laden with silks, woollens, 
laces, ribbons, stockings, and many other things 
which had been sent for by a few Southern 
traders. 

Many a time had the child watched the 
lading and the unlading of the Belle Virgeen , 

78 


SALLY SAYS, “ I WILL ! ” 


79 


and, indeed, half the town was likely to be on 
hand watching the ship go and come. 

But for some reason Sally always kept out of 
sight when the people from the great house 
were around. And if the Fairy Prince had ever 
seen her, it would have been such a mere 
glimpse he had obtained that he surely would 
never have known her again. 

Now in three months more, the Belle Virgeen 
would spread her sails, and away she would 
glide to another part of the world, and with 
her would go the Fairy Prince. Then the weak 
voice mocked her again : 

“ Eh ? eh ? eh ? And our fair Lady Rosa- 
mond, prithee ? ” 

“ The Lady Rosamond has money and beauty, 
friends, fine clothes, and many things to please 
her,” grieved Sally, “ what need has she of the 
Fairy Prince for company ? She can read books, 
ride in the family coach, sit at a fine table ; but 
when the vessel sails away, what other comfort 
will I find with his voice gone from the arbor, 
and in all Ingleside I can find him not ? ” 


80 


MAID SALLY 


“ There is work to do, learning to get, many 
things to seek after,” cried her good Fairy. 
“ Up and away ! Be ashamed to brood and sor- 
row over what you cannot help. There is 
much good to be found if you will but search 
for it.” 

“ Is there ? ” asked Sally, her eyes no longer 
drooping, but opening wide. 

“ Prithee, why not ? ” questioned the Fairy. 
“ How oft must I tell thee ? ” 

A few nights after this, when July had come, 
and the black people, bare-footed, bare-armed, 
dressed in but one or two cotton garments, went 
sluggishly about their work, when gauzy-winged 
creatures droned midst clumps of sweet flowers 
and heavy garden scents, when rich blossoms 
hung in trailing abundance and the paths were 
carpeted with wild flowers, when birds sang far 
into the twilight, Maid Sally more slowly than 
usual went over to her rocky seat. 

Some one was asleep in the arbor, for she 
could hear the hard breathing of one in slumber. 
Then a book fell to the floor. Soon there was 


SALLY SAYS, “ I WILL ! ” 81 

a turning of leaves, and soon again some one else 
entered the arbor. 

“ Ah, Rosamond,” began a voice well known, 
“ had you come a moment sooner, a drowsy lord 
you would have found.” 

“ Beshrew the idea of a lord of sixteen ! ” 
cried Rosamond, pettishly. “ Where is the sense 
in leaving home and sailing away to another 
land to study what could be very well learned 
right here, and the better to look into troubles 
that may never come ? ” 

“ I must fit myself in the very best way for 
the future,” manfully answered the lad. 

“ And prithee, are there not fields to till, 
crops to watch, and hands to guide, that one 
must fly across the ocean in search of useful- 
ness ? ” 

“ My father is able to look after his fields, his 
crops, and his servants, cousin Rosamond, and 
it was a fine course of study that fitted him to 
be the man he is. And thankful I am that he 
hath both means and the willingness wherewith 
to fit me to follow in his footsteps. ,, 


82 


MAID SALLY 


“ We have had many pleasant times together/' 
sighed Rosamond. 

“ As boy and girl, yes. I go now to prepare 
myself to take a man’s place in affairs, would’ st 
hinder me ? ” 

“ Yes ! ” snapped Rosamond. “ I would in- 
deed ! ” 

She was a petted beauty, this Rosamond, and 
being seventeen was both much admired and 
sought after. 

“ Yes,” she repeated, “ I would hinder you 
from such folly ! You have been well taught 
already. Here is our own William and Mary 
College, no mean place of learning ; why is it not 
fully good enough, pray tell me ? ” 

“ I seek helps of all kinds, my cousin, and 
would study midst the treasures and libraries 
of the Old World, nor can any one hinder 
me.” 

“ Then will I turn my thoughts another way,” 
said Rosamond, “and that will not please your 
mother.” 

There was no reply. 


SALLY SAYS, “ I WILL ! ” 83 

“ What say you to that ? ” asked the haughty 
beauty. 

“ It is my desire to think chiefly at present of 
the study on which my heart is set,” was the 
sensible reply ; “ but,” Lionel added, more hotly, 
“ I want to follow the course I have marked 
out, and I will ! ” 

There was ever something about the warm 
air of the South that made her sons impetuous 
in speech, yet they were also chivalrous, gentle 
to the weak, and kind and courteous in speech. 

So when Rosamond began to cry and to say, 
“ What need to be so harsh with a poor little 
cousin who meant no harm ? ” Lionel exclaimed : 

“ Forgive me, Rosamond, I meant not to be 
unkind. But I feel within me the need of prep- 
aration such as is before me. Yet I would not 
be too hasty in speech. I pray you, forgive me, 
dear.” 

“Ah, how sweet is the spirit of my Fairy 
Prince,” smiled Sally. “Who would not love 
so gentle a voice, and one who so quickly says 
‘ forgive ’ ? ” 


84 


MAID SALLY 


Then she looked around with the scared ex- 
pression always quick to come over her face 
whenever she dared to say or to think, “ My 
Fairy Prince.” 

Nearly every evening after this, Sally would 
hover near the arbor, but so warm was the 
weather that the young people would go in the 
family coach for long drives, while Sir Percival 
and Lady Gabrielle would start away in the 
shay, taking their slower way through sweet, 
grassy roads, along by the quiet dingle and 
flowery dell. 

Then off would roam Sally, perhaps loitering 
around fair Ingleside, or returning to her beloved 
pine woods and leafy oak-tree. 

One evening, as Sally was returning through 
Lover’s Lane, she saw Mammy Leezer coming 
toward her, and very glad she was to meet the 
good-looking old colored woman. Mammy came 
on with her usual slow step, and said, as Sally 
drew near : 

“ Hot, isn’t it, honey ? ” 

“ Yes, it is hot,” Sally made answer, “ but 


SALLY SAYS, “ I WILL ! ” 85 

this is a pretty evening for those who can go 
riding.” 

Mammy tossed her independent old head. 

“ Neber you fret ’bout dose as hev kerridges 
to tote ’em,” she said. “ You’s jus’ as good as 
some folkses dat rides all de time.” 

“ Oh, but it is nice to be born to fine things,” 
said Sally, with a little laugh. 

“ How’d you know what you’s borned to ? ” 
asked Mammy, with another toss of her head. 
“ You doan’t b’long to dat Slipside Row no 
more’n nothin’. I’ve heah tell o’ your pappy. 
If he had done live’ you’d be gettin’ learnin’ all 
dis time, shor ! You oughten be gettin’ it now.” 

Mammy had sunk down on a low stump and 
took on an air of importance that covered her 
like unto a garment. And as no class of people 
enjoy telling a story or airing their ideas more 
than do the colored race, Mammy settled herself 
as if for a long speech, and began, feeling all 
the time much pleased at Sally’s attention : 

“ Now, ob course, I ain’t for sayin’ one word 
’gainst my marster or mistis, not by no means. 


86 


MAID SALLY 


Why, bress yo’ young soul, I’se been part ob de 
fambly most eber since Mars’ Perc’val and Mis- 
tis Gabrelle wor married. And I nussed Miss 
’Cretia right f’om de day she wor borned, and 
as for Mars’ Lion, he’s my babby shor! 

“ Law de deah sakes ! dat lil scamp neber 
would let me out’n he sight till he wor four 
yeah ole, and to dis berry day dat chile come to 
his ole Mammy with his troubles.” 

Sally listened enchanted. Here were bits of 
family history such as she had never for a 
moment expected to hear. She said, timidly : 

“ I do not see how a fine young gentleman 
can have troubles.” 

“ Well, he do,” said Mammy. “Now, fo’ in- 
stance, — there’s dat Miss Ros’mond Earlscourt, 
she’s got heaps ob money, and her face looks 
berry well, too. And dese yere old famblies o’ 
Virginny, they likes to keep to demselves and 
marry and gib in marriage to one anudder 
’cause there’s heaps o’ fambly pride to ’em. 
Dat’s all right, ob course, but let me tell you, 
honey, I can see plain as day dat my Mars’ 


87 


SALLY SAYS, “ I WILL ! ” 

Lion he ain’t goin’ fo’ to bind himse’f to no 
cousin or ennybody else till he wants to. Dat 
Ros’mond, she a yeah ol’er dan Mars’ Lion, and 
boys mostly falls in love with girls ol’er than 
they are, when they’s in bibs, some ob them 
does. 

“ And my mistis,” — Mammy whispered and 
rolled her eyes, — “ she want dat chile to make 
right up to Ros’mond, but he jus’ won’t do it ! 
And he tell his ole Mammy dat he goin’ to hab 
his own way ’bout some tings if de skies fall.” 

Then Mammy dropped her dreadful story-tell- 
ing air as she said, in her own sweet voice : 

“ Now, honey, I doan’t expeck you’ll eber tell 
a word o’ what I’se been sayin’ ! I mostly doan’t 
tell fambly affairs, but you looked so sweet with 
yo’ reddy-gold hair, and dem holes in yo’ cheeks, 
I was led on to speak ob mine fo’ once. Yo’ 
won’t be tellin, will you, missy ? ” 

“ No, oh, no ! ” said Sally, “ I wouldn’t for 
the world ! ” 

“ Dat’s my kitten ! ” said Mammy, so caress- 
ingly that Sally smiled for very joy. And, in- 


88 


MAID SALLY 


deed, it appeared to her so pleasant a thing that 
the old nurse of her Fairy Prince should have 
trusted her with a bit of family matters that it 
would have been hard to give away a word that 
Mammy had said. 

“ Now I’ll tote ’long,” said Mammy, making 
lunges toward getting up from the stump, “ and 
I ain’t meant to say a word I hadn’t orter, but 
my ole heart’s berry sore ’cause my young Mars’ 
Lion, he goin’ fur away come Septem’er, and 
no knowin’ when I’ll eber see my babby ’gain.” 

Mammy should not have told family matters, 
and Sally should not have listened, but both 
were innocent as to some things, and no harm 
was done. 

Sally kept on to the pine grove, going over 
in her mind what she had heard. But she 
thought most of what Mammy had asked about 
herself, and what she had said about her father. 
She repeated in her own way of speaking : 

“ How do you know what you were born to ? 
You don’t belong to Slipside Row. I’ve heard 
of your father. If he had lived you would be 


89 


SALLY SAYS, “ I WILL ! ” 

getting learning all this time. You ought to 
be getting it now.” 

Then Sally listened, hoping her good Fairy 
would have something to say, and at once it 
began to speak. 

“ You feel in your heart that what Mammy 
said may be true. It may be because your 
father was a gentleman and your mother a lady 
that you begin to want to study and to learn as 
they would have wished you to. Look around. 
Do not give up. Be determined to see a way 
to lift yourself. You can find the way ! ” 

Sally stood still. “ I will help myself,” she 
said, stoutly. “ I will ! I will ! ” 

“ Oh ! oh ! oh ! ” she cried, softly, “ that is 
the same thing my Fairy Prince said, ‘ I will ’ ! ” 
She whispered, with her small brown hand 
before her mouth : 

“And we were both talking about getting 
learning ! ” 


CHAPTER VIII. 


A LONG GOOD-BY 

August flew by with its sultry air, and the 
grand house lay warm and quiet until supper 
time, no one venturing out until the heat of 
the day was past. 

A disappointment it was to Sally that so 
little time was spent by the young people in the 
arbor, for it was not easy for her to see or hear 
them anywhere else. 

Then came there a day in September when 
all the place was stirred as by some great and 
important event. Captain Rothwell was at the 
dock or on the deck giving swift orders, the 
sailors were hurrying to and fro, and the brave 
Belle Virgeen stood ready winged for sailing. 

Sally a little while before had begged of Mis- 
tress Brace a piece of gray and white print, out 

90 


A LONG GOOD-BY 


91 


of which, being exceeding deft with her needle, 
she had made for herself a neat gown. 

Then the hired men had each agreed to pay 
her a few pence if every week she would darn 
their stockings. And the darns were indeed of 
surprising neatness for a little maid of but 
eleven years of age. 

Sally could buy no stockings as yet with her 
earnings, but a cheap pair of shoes she already 
had bought, and on the sweet September day, 
away with the rest she went to see the Belle 
Virgeen set sail. 

Very hard she strained her eyes to get a 
glimpse of her Fairy Prince, and her poor 
little heart was aching at thought of his cross- 
ing the great lonely ocean to remain nearly a 
year away. 

“ Oh, a year doth seem such a very long 
while,” she murmured, “ and although I should 
be ready to die of shame did any one know it, 
yet great comfort and company hath it been for 
me to dream and imagine about the Fairy 
Prince.” 


92 


MAID SALLY 


So much was there going on, and so great 
the bustle, that not much thought could fill her 
mind, and soon there came an extra stir, a car- 
riage drove along the road, a lithe young form 
sprang out, and midst a cheer from the “ hands ” 
that crowded the landing, Lionel Grandison 
went up the gangplank. 

Then came the signal from Captain Rothwell 
to draw in the hawsers, and let the trim vessel 
glide. 

Yes, there were Sir Percival Grandison, young 
Mistress Lucretia, and Mistress Rosamond Earls- 
court, all waving their kerchiefs, and smiling 
bravely at the young student, who held his sea- 
cap high above his head, waving it constantly. 

Lady Gabrielle had not come to see him sail 
away. Like unto other mothers at such times, 
she had not wished to see the lad depart. 

On the edge of the crowd stood Sally. Still 
farther back she went, and not much notice did 
she take that she was standing near a great 
wagon that had brought some luggage to the 
dock, until all at once, from around the other 


A LONG GOOD-BY 


93 


side, she heard a musical voice half sobbing out 
a prayer : 

“ 0 Lorr Gord, do keep de chile f’om all de 
dangers ob de mighty deep ! Doan’t let de 
waves nor de billows be swallerin’ ob him up. 
Keep my babby safe f’om all de mis’ries ob a 
forr’n land. Dese yere arms has held him troo 
all kiner sickernesses. Deah Lorr, keep my 
chile safe — Yah ! yah ! yah ! ” 

It was Mammy Leezer, who, without stopping 
to end her prayer in proper shape, had suddenly 
joined the cheer that went up as the vessel 
dropped slowly down the stream. 

Very still it grew again as the Belle Virgeen 
drifted off anc^ away, until in the distance the 
staunch ship grew small, and the figure of a boy 
standing straight and tall looked like a mere 
point against the sky. 

Sallie’s breast heaved and tears filled her 
eyes. 

“ Farewell, 0 Fairy Prince,” she sighed, 
“ farewell ! I hate to see thee go. I hope to 
see thee back some day, my Fairy Prince, and 


94 


MAID SALLY 


ah, what joy would it be, if, without shame, I 
might sometime meet thee face to face.” 

“ Then away and prepare,” cried her Fairy, 
and without stopping to look back, or even to 
say a word to Mammy Leezer, Sally went swiftly 
to the pine woods and began talking to herself 
again. 

“ Now one thing am I bound to do. It will 
be hard to see the way, but — I am going to a 
dame school ! 

“ Mistress Maria Kent has long had pupils, 
and a likely teacher she must be. School goes 
in this day week. I mean to be there ! But 
how ? I know not, yet some way will I find to 
learn.” 

That night Sally lay long awake. How busy 
was her mind ! How many ways she tried to 
plan ! At length she exclaimed : 

“ I have it ! I have it ! That will Ido. If 
Mistress Cory Ann makes a noise about it, — 
and I greatly fear me she will, — then must 
I put on bravery and tell her, with seemly 
respect, but with a good show of will, that 


A LONG GOOD - BY 


95 


learning I want and that learning I must 
have.” 

The next afternoon, as soon as she was through 
her supper, Sally made herself both neat and 
pretty in appearance. Her hair was now all the 
time made to look almost smooth, the gray and 
white print with a red rose for a breastpin was 
well brightened up. The decent shoes were on 
her feet. 

She slipped away without being seen by the 
sharp eyes of Mistress Cory Ann, for she felt 
that her looks would not be pleasing to her. 
More than once had Mistress Brace spoken 
smartly of her smoother hair, and she had not 
liked the buying of the shoes. 

Now, should she see Sally gliding away, the 
new dress on, a rose for ornament, and with 
shoes on, she would demand being told at once 
whither she was bound. 

Mistress Maria Kent was sitting on the porch 
at her pretty little home, the picture of an old- 
time schoolmistress. Her hair was parted with 


96 


MAID SALLY 


a precision that could not have been increased 
and it was brought smoothly down on eithe] 
side, where it was rounded just in front of hei 
ears, a little hard quirl being carried over he] 
ears and pinned closely to her back hair. 

Her long-waisted dress of blue cambric was 
of a Puritan plainness, while the deeply wroughi 
collar lying flat around her neck was fastened 
with a round breastpin that had hair curiously 
plaited in the centre, surrounded by black and 
white enamel, and all framed in gold. 

She lifted her eyes from the book she was 
reading to see a spare little figure coming up 
the garden walk. 

“ Good evening, little maid,” she said pleas- 
antly, “ was there something you wished to sa;y 
to me ? ” 

Sally swallowed hard, and scarcely lifting hei 
eyes, she replied, in a frightened voice : 

“ Yes, Mistress Kent, I want to get learn- 
ing.” 

“ That is praiseworthy,” said Mistress Maria, 
“and have any arrangements been made b;y 



“ ‘ GOOD 


EVENING, 


LITTLE MAID,’ SHE SAID, PLEASANTLY.” 









A LONG GOOD-BY 


97 


which you can enter upon the duties and privi- 
leges of a youthful scholar ? ” 

Sally had told herself on the way that she 
must be brave, and so, scarcely understanding 
or even knowing what Mistress Kent had said, 
she began with a good show of courage for so 
timid and untaught a child : 

“ There is no one to help me, Mistress, I must 
help myself, but I can do things if I try. I have 
set my heart on getting learning, which I shall ! 
I have no money but about fourpence-ha’penny a 
week for darning stockings, but I have skill with 
the needle somewhat. If I could clean, or weed, 
or sew, my work should be well done. Could I 
sew for you or your mother, Mistress Kent, or 
do any kind of work that would pay for learn- 
ing to read and write and spell ? For learn I 
shall ! ” 

Sally was on the point of crying out loud as 
she finished her speech, so very hard had it been 
for her to make it, yet glad and half surprised 
she was, that, without stopping, the whole story 
had been told. 


98 


MAID SALLY 


Mistress Kent was silent for a time after 
Sally had spoken. She was thinking to her- 
self : 

“ This is something new. Here is a little maid 
ten or eleven years of age, who, all by herself, 
has come to my door, saying that learning 
she wants and must have, and will gladly 
pay for it what she can with her own small 
hands.” 

But the Mistress had to be wise and prudent. 
The children who came to her school were well 
taught and well reared, came of proud parents 
who paid well for their schooling, and would 
never let their little people associate with chil- 
dren of the poorer classes. 

They were all well dressed, carefully washed 
and combed, wore fine stockings and tasteful 
shoes, and had high notions already in their own 
proud little heads. 

So Mistress Kent, who had a good, kind heart 
under her stiff waist, was quiet so long a time 
that Sally raised her eyes and saw a look of 
trouble on the face of the schoolmistress. She 


A LONG GOOD-BY 


99 


was looking far off on the distant fields, and 
was surely trying to think something out. At 
length she said, slowly and distinctly : 

“ It would not be best, little maiden, for you 
to enter the classes with other young persons of 
your age, for they would be too far beyond you 
in their studies. Nor can I feel it would do to 
enter you with A, B, C scholars, for they would 
be much younger, and smaller in stature than 
yourself. 

“But I like not to send away either lad or 
maid who desires greatly to learn. Twice a 
week, I go a few miles to pay a short visit 
to a sister who is lame ; if then you will come 
promptly of a Wednesday and Saturday after- 
noon, when school does not keep, and look gently 
after my aged mother, and also do a little plain 
sewing, — for I like not that the hands should 
be idle, — I will on other evenings of the week 
lend you books and faithfully teach you to read 
well, write, and spell.” 

Sally almost forgot her fear and cried out, 
“ Oh, thank you, thank you, good Mistress 


L.ofC. 


100 


MAID SALLY 


Kent ! I will indeed take good care of the aged 
mother, and do the sewing with a careful eye.” 

And then, as if unable to help it, she ran 
forward and put a kiss on the teacher’s thin 
neck. 

The spinster flushed rosy red and said, in a 
voice that trembled : 

“ There, there, child, that will do, be not over- fc 
much thankful for what it pleaseth me to do, 
but come on Wednesday of next week, and we 
will proceed to help each other.” 

Sally wandered toward home as if in a dream. 
For, lo ! so easily had she already found a way 
to learn. And perfectly happy she would have 
been, had not a voice said grimly within her : 

“ But you have not yet reckoned with Mistress 
Cory Ann Brace ! ” 

It was then Thursday, and nearly a week 
would Sally have in which to settle matters. 
And the next Saturday, after cleaning kitchen, 
steps, and shed with much care, she said to 
Mistress Cory Ann that twice a week she had 
the chance to go to Mistress Kent of the dame 


A LONG GOOD-BY 


101 


school in the afternoon to do her some service, 
and that evenings she was to be taught by the 
schoolmistress. 

Then it was that Mistress Cory Ann blazed 
forth, and poor Sally felt her hopes dying down 
under her wrath. Indeed! had she not seen 
the slicking up, the rigging and the putting 
about to make herself fine ? Not a step should 
she go to Mistress Kent to be taught book-learn- 
ing ! 

“ Have I not clothed and fed you, ungrate- 
ful girl/' she cried, u but off you must go mak- 
ing a smart lady of yourself, and getting notions 
that will fit you neither to do one thing nor 
another? Was it seeing that young macaroni 
of a boy start off in all his glory to cram his 
head with book stuff that set you up to wanting 
the same thing yourself ? Get the notion out 
again, then, quick ! Not a word more of this 
nonsense about Mistress Kent and her teachings. 
If you disobey, off you go to the Town House, 
and there stay until you are eighteen.” 

Oh, dreadful ! Sally said not another word ; 


102 


MAID SALLY 


she only moped about as if heart-broken. She 
did not go over to Ingleside after supper, but 
went across to the pines, and throwing herself 
face downward on the moss, as she had done 
once before when her ignorance first appeared 
before her, she cried and cried until again she 
fell asleep. 


CHAPTER IX. 

THE PARSON 

Sally had slept but a little while when some- 
thing hit her arm, which was stretched out, and 
lifting her head, she heard a startled cry. 

“ Lorr de massy, chile ! You nearly scare de 
bref outen my body ! ” and there was Mammy 
Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before 
the old woman saw her from the side of a tree. 

It took but a look or two to see Sally’s 
swollen eyes and flushed cheeks. 

“ Now what a-matter, honey ? ” asked the 
soothing old voice. “ I come over here in de 
woods fo’ some big burdock leaves I knew was 
here, and I soaks dem in winegar fo’ to quiet 
de mis’ry in my bones. But what grieve you ? 
Tell ole Mammy all ’bout it.” 

Sally shivered with a sob that came before 


103 


104 


MAID SALLY 


she could keep it back, then she simply said 
that she had wanted to study, and some one 
was willing to teach her, but that Mistress 
Brace would not allow it. 

Mammy put on the cunning look that meant 
a good deal. 

“ Oh, now doan’t go bursting yo’ poor lil 
heart over dat,” she crooned, “ p’raps yous’ll be 
gettin’ de schoolin’ after all.” 

“ You don’t know Mistress Brace,” said Sally, 
with a sad little smile. 

“ No, I doan’t berry much,” said Mammy, in 
a voice that swelled, “but I might be gettin’ 
to knowin’ her better one o’ dese days.” And 
she hobbled away, a broad grin on her round 
face. 

When beyond Shady Path, Mammy was de- 
lighted to see Mistress Brace striding along, a 
market basket on her arm. 

Now Mammy knew not the first thing about 
the money that Sally’s father had left for his 
little girl. But she did know that he had 
boarded in a nice house at Jamestown Corners 


THE PARSON 


105 


when Mistress Brace lived there, that he had ap- 
peared to have plenty of money, and that his 
little girl wore the nicest of clothes. 

All this she heard long ago from a colored 
woman who lived at Jamestown Corners, and 
would sometimes stop at the quarters at Ingle- 
side. 

The dark woman had shaken her head in dis- 
mal fashion after Mistress Brace removed first 
to the Flats, and then to Slipside Row, keeping 
the child with her, and she would say : 

“ I wonder whar Mars’ Dukeen’s money all 
go to, for he had money, shor ! ” 

This rushed into Mammy’s mind as Mistress 
Brace drew near, but she said in her sweet sing- 
song : 

“ Good evening, mistis, whar de lil one to- 
night ? ” 

“Who, Sally?” asked Mistress Cory Ann, 
eying Mammy with a hard, sidelong glance, 
“ I’m sure I don’t know where she is.” 

“Le’s see,” began Mammy, standing still, 
“ didn’ some one say she were goin’ to de dame 


106 


MAID SALLY 


school or sumpin o’ that kind ? Seems to me I 
heerd it somewhar. And she oughter go, too ! 
Her pappy — I know all ’bout her pappy — he 
meant his lil girl should have learnin’ with de 
best, and oh, de gracious me ! such tings as 
happens to folks as cheats chillern outen their 
schoolin’ ! ” 

Mammy looked around with a fearful air as 
she added : 

“ Why, if ennybody try to keep dat young 
Mars’ Lion from learnin’ all he want to, de 
plagues and de torments that come upon dem ! ” 

She went muttering away, leaving Mistress 
Cory Ann wishing that she was on the ocean 
with her “ Mars’ Lion.” But for all that, her 
words sunk into Mistress Brace’s mind and 
troubled her, nor could she forget them. 

Yet two afternoons of the week she deter- 
mined Sally should not have. But she said to 
her the next morning that, after thinking things 
over, she would spare her one afternoon a week, 
but it must be whenever it was most convenient. 

To her surprise Sally replied that she must 


THE PARSON 


107 


go on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, or 
not at all. 

“ Then it’s not at all youTl go ! ” cried the 
angry mistress, “and remember, the Town 
House is not far away ! ” 

“ What will you do now ? ” asked her good 
Fairy, when Sally was alone. 

“I do not quite know,” Sally made reply, 
“ I must think it out.” 

When Wednesday came Sally went to her 
attic room after dinner, but Mistress Brace took 
no notice of it. So very quiet had been Maid 
Sally during the few days past that Mistress 
Cory Ann thought all had been given up as to 
books and schooling. 

But now Sally put on the print dress, coaxed 
down her shining hair, put on her shoes, and 
slipping out without a word to Mistress Brace, 
she started for the home of the schoolmistress. 

She never forgot the pleasure of that first 
afternoon at the pretty cottage. A canary-bird 
was trilling songs in a cage hung out on the 
porch. In the sitting-room, the old mother 


108 


MAID SALLY 


greeted her from her high-backed, cushioned 
rocking-chair. The old dame used fine lan- 
guage, and the books, pictures, and solid furni- 
ture, everything simple but nice, seemed in a 
way to belong to the world that Sally herself 
belonged to. 

“ You see you don’t know just who you are,” 
whispered her Fairy, “ but do not mind that, all 
may be known in good time.” 

But when Mistress Kent returned from her 
sister’s, and the mother said that Sally had been 
a good, likely child, and had given her a seed- 
cake, — Sally was afraid to go home. 

So she wandered about, ate the seed-cake for 
her supper, then, seeing the gate open that led 
to Parson Kendall’s orchard, she peeped in, 
noticing a wide, rustic chair under a broad 
tree. 

“I wonder if that might be a comfortable 
chair to rest in awhile,” murmured the child, 
and just to try it she slipped along the green. 

Yes, the back came high above her head, and 
as she sat wondering how she should ever go to 


THE PARSON 


109 


Slipside Row and meet Mistress Cory Ann, she 
slid off to Dreamland, her pretty head drooping 
to one side, her rosy lips parted. 

Then as it grew later, but was still quite light, 
good Parson Kendall walked out in his orchard, 
and in his walk stopped before the rustic seat 
under the branching tree. 

“ What a personable child it is ! ” he mut- 
tered. “Some youthful wayfarer well tired out. 
I wonder who she may be ? I know not her 
countenance at all.” 

When Sally opened her eyes, oh ! oh ! oh ! 
there stood the parson, in black coat, black 
waistcoat, black knee-breeches, black stockings, 
and sober face. 

* _ 

Little people were much afraid of the parson 
in those days, and in fact he was held in high 
respect, if not some fear, by people all, and Sally 
would almost have fallen from the chair in 
fright, only that Parson Kendall’s voice was soft 
and kind, as he asked : 

“ Prithee, little one, where is thy home, and 
art thou very tired ? ” 


110 


MAID SALLY 


“ Speak up ! ” cried her Fairy, “ tell the 
truth. ,, 

“I was afraid to go home, sir,” said Sally. 

“ Hast thou done wrong, my child ? ” 

“ I meant not to do wrong,” said Sally, “ but 
I ran away.” 

“Ah, how was that? Tell me the truth 
about it.” 

And trembling in every limb, with eyes cast 
down, poor little Sally stammered out the 
whole story : her longing, her determination, 
her fine chance, Mistress Brace’s refusal to let 
her go, and now her fear of returning home. 

“ I will go with thee to Slipside Row,” said 
the parson, “ and do not fear, thou shalt not 
suffer in any way.” 

And now again, had Sally been a well-taught 
child, she would have known how mean a thing 
it was to listen to what might be said in the 
keeping-room. But when the parson said to 
Mistress Cory Ann, “ I would have speech with 
thee, Mistress Brace,” up crept Sally to a room 
over the keeping-room, and lying flat on the 


THE PARSON 


111 


floor, with her ear to a large crack under the 
window, she could hear nearly all that was 
said. 

Sally had been surprised at the many low 
curtseys Mistress Cory Ann made when the par- 
son came up to the door, and at the look of fear 
that had come over her face. Yes, Mistress 
Brace had indeed looked afraid ! 

Now Safly heard Parson Kendall say : 

“ But had you any right to make of the child 
almost a servant when she was left so sadly 
alone ? ” 

“ It was that or the Town House,” said Mis- 
tress Brace, shortly. 

“ Perhaps not,” said the parson’s calm, firm 
voice; “ our town sendeth not all to the Town 
House who are poor or unfortunate. Had her 
father no friends ? And was there no money 
left?” 

“I know nothing of her father’s friends,” 
said Mistress Brace, “and as to money, very 
little there was of that, and it has been spent 
on the girl ” 


112 


MAID SALLY 


Ah, but the woman’s voice had trembled when 
she spoke of the money, and her face grew very 
red, so that the parson, knowing something 
must be wrong, said, sternly : 

“I had better lay the case before the bur- 
gesses. If the little wench so greatly desireth 
knowledge, then knowledge she should have. It 
is my duty to look after an orphan child of my 
parish, who seemeth not to be having the 
chances she should have.” 

The dreadful word “ burgesses,” meaning the 
men in power, and who governed the colonies, 
frightened both Mistress Brace and Maid Sally, 
and very glad was Sally when Mistress Cory 
Ann exclaimed : 

“ There be no need, parson, to trouble any of 
the burgesses ! Here the girl has been, here she 
can stay. If she so much has set her heart 
on learning, then go she can to Mistress Kent 
and earn her schooling as the mistress has 
planned. But I like it not that the girl should 
run away, not telling me whither she was 
going.” 


THE PARSON 


113 


u She said all was explained, but that you re- 
fused to enter into the plan,” said the parson. 

“ I did not fully understand about it,” said 
Mistress Brace, and so mild was her tone that 
Sally was again much surprised. “ Let things 
take their course,” she added, “ and twice a 
week the girl can go where she likes and I will 
lay no rul^ against it. Then she can still help 
betimes.” 

“ We will leave it that way for the present,” 
said the parson, as he seemed to be rising to go, 
“ but no blame is to be laid upon the child for 
telling what she did. I saw that she was in 
trouble and asked the cause. She did no wrong 
to answer truthfully. I shall now feel it my 
duty to see that the young maid hath a fair 
chance to learn what good Mistress Kent know- 
eth full well how to impart. I wish thee good 
day, Mistress Brace.” 

Sally scudded away, her eyes fairly dancing 
with joy. 

“ Fairy! 0 Fairy!” she cried under her 
breath, “ a fine dream has come true ! I shall go 


114 


MAID SALLY 


to Mistress Kent and learn ! learn ! learn ! 
Blessings on thee, good parson ! I would like to 
thank thee.’’ 

“ Be wise and let not any one know what you 
have overheard,” warned her Fairy. 

“ Indeed, I shall know nothing at all,” laughed 
Sally, u until Mistress Cory Ann says to me I 
can go schooling tw r ice a week;” and ^Sally’s 
eyes sparkled like fire. 

When Saturday came, but not until then, 
Mistress Cory Ann said, with a scornful toss of 
her head : 

“ Since you think it so fine a thing to dabble 
in books, and choose to fill your head with what 
others have got along plenty well without, I care 
not where you go this afternoon, but mind you 
show smartness at other times, or the twice-a- 
week trips will cease.” 

That was all, and that was enough. Sally 
knew now that her pet dream was to work 
itself out beautifully. 

She had a few pence earned by mending, and 
at Goodman Chatfield’s store she begged to know 


THE PARSON 


115 


if ninepence would buy a decent pair of stock- 
ings. 

“ Indeed, no, a shilling is the least that will 
buy stockings of any kind,” said storeman Chat- 
field, who in very truth liked to chatter. “But 
I am much wanting an errand done at the 
Cloverlove plantation, and if you would do it, I 
will, with the ninepence, give a pair of hosen 
that will stand you well.” 

It was half a mile to Cloverlove plantation, 
and half a mile back, but Sally gladly did the 
errand, and ran home happy as any bird with a 
smart new pair of stockings tucked under her 
arm. 


CHAPTER X. 


PROGRESS 

Mistress Kent was willing to confess, after 
a few weeks, that many bright children had 
come to her to be taught, but never had there 
come a child more swift to learn than Maid 
Sally Dukeen. She learned in fact as though 
her beautiful little ringlets held each a cell in 
which to hide the things she was all the time 
finding out. 

Before the winter term of school began she 
could read well, and also write and spell. No 
need to urge attention with the little maid ; the 
only thing needed was to hold her back. 

Every evening except Wednesday and Satur- 
day, as soon as her supper was eaten, over to 
Mistress Kent’s raced Sally, the books the mis- 
tress had lent her under her arm, and her les- 


116 


PROGRESS 


117 


sons so perfectly learned that the good teacher 
wondered when she found time for so much 
study. 

Had she peeped into Mistress Brace’s house 
almost any day she would have known. When 
Sally went to bed a book was under her pillow, 
for there would be a little time for study before 
she got up in the morning. While dressing, she 
was busy spelling as well. And while the dishes 
were being washed, a book was before her on 
shelf or window-sill. 

Sally managed to study midst the clattering 
of dishes arid the swish of a broom. For Mis- 
tress Cory Ann thought not much of the books, 
and minded not how much noise she made while 
the poor child was conning a lesson, but she 
dared not stop her. Sally had found out that 
the parson would be her friend should trouble 
arise, and the parson and the burgesses were 
powers that Mistress Cory Ann dared not trifle 
with. 

When it grew chilly, muddy, or it might be 
a little frosty, Sally bought herself a pair of 


118 


MAID SALLY 


gum shoes, for with all her extra studying she 
yet found time for mending and darning, so 
earning a little all the time. She also bought 
a good shawl, which kept her nice and warm. 

And when she said, “ I need a decent hat ; 
I wonder would the parson help me to get one,” 
Mistress Brace bade her keep away and not 
go bothering the parson. Then before the next 
week she got for Sally a poke bonnet that was 
both warm and sightly. 

Keen little Sally would not have gone to the 
parson ; she was too proud to beg a single pen- 
ny’s worth, but she had found a new way of 
getting around Mistress Cory Ann since she had 
seen all that curtseying to the parson. 

Then something else that was beautiful hap- 
pened to Sally, that filled the little maid’s heart 
with joy and gladness. 

She had gone one afternoon in January, soon 
after the beginning of the year, to run about in 
the pine woods, for what with work and study 
she had grown tired and felt stupid. 

“ Go and play,” cried her Fairy. 


PROGRESS 


119 


“ But my books,” said Sally. 

“You will grow dull, and do well neither 
with books, needle, or other work without 
some time for play,” cried the Fairy. 

And so Sally put by her book, left her mend- 
ing, and ran like a wild, free thing into the 
woods, that had a fresh, sweet smell to them. 
The air was cool and did the child good. She 
wandered farther and farther on, thinking it 
was in truth a good thing to play at times. 

“ Sing ! ” cried her. Fairy, “ none will hear 
thee, sing’st thou ever so loudly here.” 

Now naught has yet been said of Sally’s 
voice. She scarcely knew she had what would 
be called “a voice.” Often she sang at her 
work, but Mistress Brace would likely as not 
bid her be quiet and not make so great a racket. 

Mistress Cory Ann liked to talk a great deal 
herself, and so would hush Sally’s singing, 
which after a time made Sally think that sing- 
ing was only making a troublesome noise, so 
she did not much of it in the house. 

“ Sing ! ” said the Fairy. 


120 


MAID SALLY 


Sally stood against a tree and sang without 
a thought or care as to how her voice might 
sound. The notes rang out clear and strong, 
for she sang as would a bird. And over and 
again she sang a few sweet verses she had 
learned from hearing young Mistress Rosamond 
Earlscourt practising them with her lute in the 
summer-house. 

As she stopped, full of the joy of hearing her 
own young voice, she heard a little sound, and, 
turning around, oh ! oh ! there stood Master 
Sutcliff, the precentor, or leader of the meeting- 
house choir, which was made up of all such 
young men and maidens as could sing with 
melody in their voices. 

Master Sutcliff was also teacher of the sing- 
ing-school, to which all were welcome who could 
pay the regular fee, either in money, apples, 
fruit, or hay. 

“ You have a heartsome voice,” said the sing- 
ing master, coming closer to Sally, and speaking 
in his own rich bass. “ A heartsome voice ; how 
would it please you to come to the singing- 



“SALLY STOOD AGAINST A TREE AND SANG WITHOUT A 

THOUGHT OR CARE.” 










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PROGRESS 


121 


school and help lead some of the more timorous 
ones ? ” 

“ I do not think my mistress would allow it,” 
said Sally, with downcast eyes. 

“ If she consents would’ st come ? ” asked 
Master Sutcliff. “ I will teach you to sing cor- 
rectly, and do something toward training the 
voice a kind Providence hath given thee.” 

“ Yes, I would come,” said Sally, without 
lifting her eyes. 

Off strode Master Sutcliff, but Sally could sing 
no more. What would Mistress Cory Ann 
say? 

“ She will not allow it,” said Sally to herself. 

“ Wait and see,” cheered her Fairy. 

And it seemed that wonders would never 
cease now they had begun, for when Sally went 
about getting supper Mistress Brace said to 
her : 

“ If you would be doing some good by your 
screeching at tunes, Master Sutcliff has been 
here, and will pay me three shillings a term for 
letting you help at his singing-school. I told 


122 


MAID SALLY 


him I couldn’t be lending you for nothing, so 
now, all but Saturdays your evenings will be 
taken up. I hope that will satisfy you.” 

“ My dress is not fit,” said Sally. 

“ I will see to that ! ” snapped Mistress Cory 
Ann. 

And see to it she did. For she went the 
next day to Goodman Chatfield’s store, and 
bought a piece of blue linsey-woolsey, which in 
a day or two was made into so becoming a dress, 
that Mistress Brace wished she had bought the 
green one, which was not as pretty, but which 
Goodman Chatfield held at a higher price. 

And Master Sutcliff knew he had made a 
good trade, for Sally’s strong young voice was 
true as well, and soon led right bravely the 
chorus of many voices. And for the maid her- 
self it was great joy thus to sing with others, 
and be taught the notes that she soon learned. 

One day Mistress Brace saw Parson Kendall 
again coming up her steps, and, curtseying as 
before, she bade him enter. 

“ 1 hear,” said the parson, “ that Master Sut- 


PROGRESS 


123 


cliff pays thee a quarterly sum for allowing the 
young maid that is in thy care to lead somewhat 
at the singing-school.” 

“ Yes/’ said Mistress Cory Ann, “ I could not 
let her sing for naught. I feed her, there surely 
should be some return.” 

“ But she sings only at night, when a maid 
of her tender years had far better be in her bed. 
And she serves thee a large part of the day. 
So I think it but thy duty to use what Master 
Sutcliff gives thee for her use alone.” 

“ I shall,” said Mistress Brace, “ and more, 
too, for I clothe as well as feed her.” 

“ But not overabundantly,” insisted the par- 
son. “ I met the young damsel yesterday, and 
I think she wore no hosen.” 

“ She hath stockings,” said Mistress Brace. 

“ More than one pair ? ” 

“ Perhaps not, parson.” 

“ Then more she must have. I find that I 
once met the maiden’s father, a well-dressed, 
goodly appearing man. It puzzle th me that 
so little should have been left for his little 


124 


MAID SALLY 


daughter’s needs. A gentleman he was whose 
image hath not faded from my mind.” 

Very much it vexed Mistress Brace that 
Parson Kendall should keep so sharp an eye on 
Maid Sally. And still more it troubled her 
that he should speak again of her father and 
the kind of man he seemed. 

But from that time Sally had better clothes 
to wear and felt no shame as she went to and 
fro to evening lessons and to singing-school. 

And so came the springtime, the sweet 
springtime, and there was beauty everywhere. 
On the porch at Ingleside the honeysuckle and 
climbing roses were bursting into radiant bloom. 
The birds began nesting in the magnolias and 
the white-belled halesia-trees. 

Sandpipers went scudding along down by the 
water, and the mountain holly began putting on 
a new dress. The pink azalea, or swamp pink, 
violets, buttercups, and all kinds of meadow 
beauties began peeping up all around. 

So smart a scholar had Sally shown herself, 
that Mistress Kent would gladly have taken 


PROGRESS 


125 


her into her classes, but the proud Virginia 
matrons who sent their richly clothed children 
to the dame school would still have thought 
Sally too poorly dressed a little maid to sit 
beside their dainty little darlings. 

Sally was beginning to add, subtract, divide, 
and multiply. And when the school closed for 
the summer and Mistress Kent lent her a simple 
history to read, she was wild with delight that 
she would still have a book near by. 

And much as Sally hated to give up her 
lessons for a few months, there was a bird sing- 
ing in her heart, singing a song of which poor 
Sally was half ashamed and yet which made 
her very, very glad. For in June, rich, flowery, 
song-bird June, he was coming home, her Fairy 
Prince ! 

% 

“And now I can far better understand all 
he reads,” she said to her Fairy. Then her 
glad voice fell. “ But I can never, never come up 
to him,” she sighed ; “ there is yet a mountain 
of difference between us.” 

“ You have begun to climb ; ” said her Fairy. 


126 


MAID SALLY 


“ All, but there is proud Lady Rosamond 
Earlscourt, and Lady Irene Westwood, and so 
many other high-born damsels of his own kind, 
all so proud, so well-born.” 

“ What know you of your own birth ? ” asked 
her Fairy, sharply. “ How often must I ask 
thee ? ” 

“ I only remember the Flats and Slipside 
Row,” said Sally’s forlorn voice. 

“Keep climbing,” said her Fairy. “Does 
not something within you still urge you to 
climb and climb ? ” 

“ Yes, yes,” cried Sally, “ and climb I 
will ! ” 

And now that evenings of study had stopped 
for awhile, Sally went again after supper to 
the beloved seat at Ingleside. And Lady Lu- 
cretia Grandison and Lady Rosamond Earlscourt 
strolled often over to the arbor and chatted 
gaily while their white fingers held the embroid- 
ery at which they worked continually when not 
reading. 

Many the scarf, cape, or flowing sleeve they 


PROGRESS 


127 


worked themselves with which to deck their 
fair necks, shoulders, and arms. 

One evening, as Sally sat dreaming on the 
stones, she heard Rosamond Earlscourt say : 

“ I must furbish up my riding-suit, for cousin 
Lionel will want to mount Hotspur once he is 
home again, and I my Lady Grace.” 

And Lucretia answered, “ Lionel liketh best 
to ride alone when on Hotspur’s back. Do not 
you remember he thought it made Hotspur 
impatient to have another horse beside him, and 
raised his temper ? ” 

“ Then there are other horses he can ride,” 
returned Rosamond. “ My beautiful Lady Grace 
is tired of standing in the stable, but I like not 
to ride alone or only with a groom for company.” 

These words seemed to rouse something in 
Sally’s soul, and she cried, inwardly : 

“ Oh, why could not I have a ‘ Lady Grace,’ 
a dear horse of my own on which to fly across 
the country ? I could ride, I know I could, and 
oh, oh ! I feel it within me that a fine horse, 
fine books, fine clothes, a fine house, all, all 


128 


MAID SALLY 


that I see at Ingleside or Cloverlove, would fit 
into my soul ! ” 

“ Dear child/’ said her Fairy, pityingly, “ it 
is hard not to have what the heart cries out for. 
Why not try to find out more about yourself ? 
Have you ever questioned Mistress Brace about 
your father, or it might be about your mother, 
or what she may know of the home from 
whence they came?” 

Sally had never thought of this before. She 
was now twelve years old, but the three years 
spent at the Flats, rather a miserable place, and 
now nearly four at Slipside Row, were all that 
she plainly remembered. 

Now, seeing and hearing these people who 
were so far above her, had wakened that spirit 
or Fairy within her, which set her thinking of 
a better kind of life. 

“ Perhaps Mistress Brace has things that be- 
longed to my parents, and that ought to be 
given me,” murmured Sally. 

“ Why not ask her that, too ? ” said the Fairy. 

“ It would be no use,” sighed the maiden. 


CHAPTER XI. 


FACE TO FACE 

It was but a few days later that Goodman 
Kellar banged lustily on the door, asking to see 
Mistress Brace. He had a fine setting of duck’s 
eggs to sell. 

Sally was in the keeping-room mending, but 
she called Mistress Brace down from her room. 
Then began a long parley about the eggs and 
some other produce. 

Then Sally had an errand to her tiny room, 
and as she passed Mistress Cory Ann’s door, she 
saw that a queer little trunk, all hair on the 
outside, and with rows of great brass-headed 
nails along the edges, was standing open by the 
bed. 

Sally had often seen the little trunk, which 
was always kept under Mistress Brace’s bed 


130 


MAID SALLY 


tightly iocked. She must have made a great 
mistake in leaving it open, Sally thought. 

She felt for a moment that it would not be 
quite right to take a peep inside the trunk. 

“ It does not seem proper,” said the Fairy. 

“ I will take but a peep,” Sally replied. 

She was so afraid the good Fairy might try 
to stop her that she hurried over to the bed and 
stooped down. 

Ah, what a delicate, tasteful muslin cape was 
folded away ! And there were letters in one 
corner. Sally spelled them over, and thought 
they made a name, but if so it was a strange 
one. There lay a letter. 

“ Oh, no, no ! ” cried the Fairy, as Sally took 
it in her hands. 

“I will take but a teeny-weeny peep, good 
Fairy,” said Sally, “ but I feel as though it 
might be as well for me to see some things that 
I will never be told of.” 

But the letter gave no light to Maid Sally. 
Only toward the end she read : “ I have done 
my best, but my health is failing. Should I 


FACE TO FACE 


131 


not live there will be something for the one 
I leave.” Then there was that strange name 
again at the very end, the same as was on the 
cape. Sally spelled it over and over, merely 
because it was so curious. 

Goodman Kellar was moving away, and Sally 
ran softly to her room. 

“ Such a queer jumble of letters,” she said to 
herself, still amused over the name, that, if it 
really was a name, Sally could not have pro- 
nounced. They still grouped themselves in her 
mind. 

“ Put them on paper,” said her Fairy. 

“ I will,” cried the merry maid, and with a 
pin she pricked the letters on a piece of paper. 
This she put in a box where she kept a few 
childish treasures, not any of them worth much. 

Then came another great day that Sally knew 
all about. She had heard it talked of at the 
store, and the hired men had mentioned it. 

The Belle Virgeen was coming up to the quay, 
— they called it “ kee,” — and a gay company 
was to meet, and a fine supper to be served on 


132 


MAID SALLY 


the green at Ingleside, after the proud vessel 
arrived, bringing back her Fairy Prince. 

Sally had made up her mind not to go over 
by the hedge when the supper should be spread. 
She would be near the quay as the ship came 
in, and perhaps would get a look at her Fairy 
Prince, but something held her back from trying 
to see or hear anything that night at Ingle- 
side. 

“ I am twelve years old now,” she said to her- 
self. 

A neatly clad child watched eagerly as the 
Belle Virgeen came slowly sailing in. Caps 
flew into the air, old straw ones going high aloft, 
and cries and cheers went up, as strong ropes 
made the vessel fast to the quay. 

What ! was that tall young man the Fairy 
Prince ? He was tall when he went away, but 
now, at seventeen, he looked almost a man as he 
stepped ashore and was immediately seized upon 
by glad, loving hands. 

Again the Lady Gabrielle was not in the 
throng. She would greet her boy in the retire- 


FACE TO FACE 


133 


ment of home, but others from the Ingleside 
household were on hand to give welcome. 

And after a few moments a rolling figure 
limped forward, and Lionel held Mammy Lee- 
zer’s dark hands and looked smilingly down into 
her face while she told how “ done lonesome ” 
she had been without her “ babby.” 

Maid Sally did not know how she herself had 
grown during the year past. Her splendid hair 
had been brought into fluffy order, which was all 
that was really needed. Her face had filled out 
a little, and the dimples in her brown cheeks 
were deeper. Her chin was rounding to a finer 
curve, and the cleft grown more decided. Her 
eyes were like stars and her teeth perfect. 

Dame Maria Kent had one day given her a 
little brush, telling her to take it to the spring 
each day and use it on her teeth. And Sally 
was surprised to see what a small brush and 
clean water would do for a maiden's teeth. And 
Sally forgot nothing she once learned in the way 
of a useful lesson. 

The maid was changing in a way. She was 


134 


MAID SALLY 


growing more and more shy of being seen by 
those she felt were above her. It was just as 
great a joy to catch a sight of her day-dream- 
Prince as it had ever been, but she would run 
away or hide anywhere sooner than risk meet- 
ing him or having him really see her. 

One sweet morning she had gone to the pines, 
her beloved history in her hands. Back from 
the other trees, and on the other side of what 
had become a forest path, was a queer gnarled 
oak, that stood a solitary tree of its kind. And 
not far up was a complete seat, formed by the 
crossing of two large boughs. But so thick was 
the foliage that nimble Sally could be completely 
hidden, while learning her history by heart. 

She was repeating again, with the usual pleas- 
ure, all about the discovery of America, when 
voices and hoof-beats smote upon her ear. And 
she sat like an image as Lionel Grandison and 
Rosamond Earlscourt came cantering along, 
their eyes bright with exercise and the horses 
tossing their fine manes as if enjoying the merry 
run as much as their riders. 



“WHEN VOICES AND IIOOF-BEATS SMOTE UPON HER EAR.” 






FACE TO FACE 


135 


How grand and manly looked her Prince on 
his high mount ; yet she saw at a glance that he 
did not ride Hotspur. And ah, how proud and 
handsome looked the young Lady Rosamond as, 
with curls flying under her high, peaked hat, she 
sat the Lady Grace with stately air and held her 
with a firm, yet easy rein. But her fair face 
was turned smilingly toward her tall cousin. 

“ She loves him,” said Sally, “she loves him, 
-tnd what a wonder would it be if she did not ! 
Her own face is a goodly one, fit to be loved in- 
deed. And how beautifully she rides. Were I 
a maiden of quality, how gladly and swiftly 
would I leap to the back of a good horse, and 
away, and away ! Ah, I say again, I should 
love it, I know.” 

She sat dreaming after the two figures as they 
rode away, her young heart swelling with ad- 
miration of them both. Somewhere, way down 
in the depths of her soul, there was a little hurt 
as the winsome pair sped along the far dim road. 
She was too young to know just what the prick 
meant, but her good Fairy was at hand. 


136 


MAID SALLY 


“Back to your book, Maid Sally/’ it said, “ and 
sit not gazing after those who can ride of a sum- 
mer’s morn, wishing in your silly young heart 
that you too could ride. Your turn may come ; 
who knows ? ” 

“ It was not quite that I might also ride,” 
answered Sally, “ it was — everything.” 

“ Yes, I know,” said the Fairy. “ You are 
quick to reach for that which is beyond you. 
That is not strange. But keep to your studies 
and your singing ; good things come slowly to 
the poor, but mind you — they may come ! ” 

“Good Fairy, you do always hearten me,” 
cried Sally, and back she went to her book. 

But she did not forget the proud and happy 
face that the Lady Rosamond Earlscourt turned 
upon the Fairy Prince. 

Then came another day long to be remem- 
bered, to be hidden in Sally’s heart of hearts 
and kept there. 

The morning broke so cool and sweet that 
Mistress Cory Ann had a mind to go into the 
town and buy meat and other things that would 


FACE TO FACE 


137 


last for several days. Butter and meat could 
be put on the shelf in the well, and no fear 
of spoiling. 

After her morning’s work had been cleverly 
done, Sally knew she could be free for a few 
hours. The men had gone far afield to work, 
taking their dinners with them, and it would 
be well past noon before Mistress Cory Ann 
would return. 

Sally, from very youthful gladness of heart 
and joy of living, had a mind to make herself 
fine before going with her book to the greatly 
enjoyed seat in the large oak-tree. 

So she went to the keeping-room, and, stand- 
ing before the mirror hanging on the wall, she 
pinned midst her mat of ruddy-gold curls 
clumps of white strawberry blossoms, starry 
dogwood blooms, and a white rose or two. 

Some time before this, Mistress Brace had 
seen in a peddler’s pack a decent piece of white 
lawn, and as it was the cheapest thing he had 
that would make a comely gown for Sunday 
wear, she bought it for Sally. 


138 


MAID SALLY 


The maiden sung now in the choir of a 
Sunday, and, because of the parson’s keen eye, 
she must be seemingly dressed. But the gown 
was soiled and must soon be done up. So in 
a spirit of sport Sally put it on, and at breast 
and waist she pinned great posies of buttercups, 
daffy-down-dillies, and sprays of fresh green 
leaves. Then she started for the pine woods 
and the oak-tree. 

The sweetness, sunshine, and melody all 
about so charmed her for a time that the book 
for once lay idly in her lap. 

“ Life is beautiful,” she murmured. 

“ Yes, life is beautiful ! ” echoed her Fairy; “ it 
is but right that the young should enjoy it.” 

“ I feel so glad to-day,” said Maid Sally, “ I 
would I might always feel this way.” 

“ You are learning,” said the Fairy, “ and life 
is getting fuller for you every day.” 

“Yes, life is getting fuller every day,” said 
Maid Sally. 

At last she took up her book. The sun was 
growing very hot, but there was a cool breeze, 


FACE TO FACE 


139 


and the maiden in the tree was reading steadily 
when again there came the sound of flying 
hoofs. They came all too swiftly. A very 
demon of a horse was tearing along the road, 
his mane flying, his tail out straight, and his 
body almost to the ground. The rider could not 
be made out in the mad rush and whirl of the 
frightened animal. 

It was all over in a moment. Hotspur dashed 
into the woods, banged in his blindness against 
a pine-tree, and on the instant his rider, seeing 
a chance to dismount, leaped from his back. 
But before he could reach the ground, being 
so near the tree, up bounded the horse just 
in time to hurl his young master back to the 
edge of the saddle, from which he fell with 
such force that he lay on the ground sense- 
less, his fair hair streaming back, his blue eyes 
closed, while the great hunter went thundering 
on his way. 

Sally did not cry out nor lack for nerve. 
The finer part of her nature came to her help, 
as it always will where it but exists, and she 


140 


MAID SALLY 


felt the thrill of courage that is worth very 
much when prompt action is needed. 

As she slipped from the tree the thought 
went through her mind: 

“ If he is killed, straight I must go to the 
great house and tell what I have seen. If he is 
but stunned, then must I do what I can to help 
him.’ , 

She bent over and could see that he was 
breathing. Like a flash she darted across to 
the house, caught up a dipper and filled it from 
the water-pail. Then back she sped and with 
hands that trembled bathed forehead and face, 
and dropped sprays of water into the parted lips. 
Then she rubbed his hands and again sprinkled 
his brow. 

Before long the eyes unclosed and fastened 
dreamily on the ministering maiden. But neither 
spoke. The eyes remained open, and began to 
rove a little. Sally saw that speech would 
come in a moment more. 

But at that instant the sound of hurrying 
hoofs echoed in the distance, several of them, 


FACE TO FACE 


141 


it seemed, and like a startled deer Sally turned, 
and before Bill, the groom, Corniel, and Sam 
Spruce rushed up to the spot where lay their 
young master, she was panting on her seat in 
the oak-tree. 


CHAPTER XII. 


WHO WAS SHE ? 

The colored servants had with them strong 
cordials that soon brought Lionel to himself. 

No bones were broken, but he was lame and 
bruised, and it was some time before he could 
mount the gentle animal Sam Spruce had ridden 
in going forth to find him. Sally saw in a 
moment that it was Lord Rollin, the horse 
Lionel had used when riding with his cousin 
Rosamond. 

Hotspur, after a mad gallop, had raced back 
riderless to the stables, stirrups dangling and 
saddle awry. This had sent the men out in hot 
haste to find out what had happened. 

As soon as Lionel was fairly recovered, he 
looked all around. 

“ Where is the beautiful creature that gave 
me water ? ” he asked. 


142 


WHO WAS SHE ? 


143 


“ No one gave you water, Mars’ Li’nel,” said 
the well-spoken Sam Spruce. “ We fetched 
cordial that brought you to.” 

“ Yes, yes, I know that,” Lionel replied, “ but 
who was the lovely being all in white, with hair 
like the sun, eyes like stars, lips like cherries 
and with flowers all about her everywhere ? ” 

Sam looked over to Corniel, winked, and 
touched his brow. 

Lionel caught the gesture. 

“ Oh, now, none of that ! ” he said ; “ my head 
is not wandering. She came before you did, 
some charming little thing, I tell you, that was 
all brightness and flowers.” 

“ We saw no one, Mars’ Lion,” began Corniel ; 
“ you was all ’lone when we coined up. Ef 
there’d been anybuddy else roun’, dey couldn’t 
’a’ got ’way dout our seein’ ’em.” 

“ Oh, well, never mind,” said the young mas- 
ter, “ if none of you saw any one, there’s no use 
in talking, but I know what I saw, and my head 
wasn’t light or flighty, either.” 

The well-trained servants did not reply, but 


144 


MAID SALLY 


Bill, the groom, who stood behind Lionel, rolled 
his eyes in so droll a fashion, at the same time 
touching his own woolly crown, that Sam Spruce 
only stopped a titter by a loud cough. 

But he did not deceive his bright young 
master. 

“ Oh, you fellows may grin and make up eyes 
all you want to,” he said, good-naturedly, “ but 
I wasn’t knocked crazy all at once, and one of 
these days you may find out I saw just what 
I say I did. Now get me home as fast as you 
can.” 

They helped him mount the proud but steady 
Lord Rollin, and in a moment more three of 
them rode away, leaving Sam Spruce to walk 
back. 

Left alone, Sam took a good look around, 
and Sally, who had seen them talking but could 
not hear what was said, was in terror lest he 
should spy her in the branches of the oak ; but 
Sam, who looked in other directions, did not look 
up, and, finally, wagging his head in a knowing 
way, he moved off, greatly to Sally’s relief. 


WHO WAS SHE ? 


145 


The maid was in a kind of dream all the rest 
of the day, and, without exactly knowing it, she 
was very happy. Shortly before noon she re- 
turned to the house, and going directly to the 
mirror in the keeping-room she said, without 
vanity, but with considerable curiosity : 

“ I wonder if I am fair at all ? ” and as the 
mirror flashed back the image of a maiden 
surely very pleasant to look upon, she 
chuckled : 

“ I don’t care, very glad I am that when 
I first touched the Fairy Prince and looked 
right into his eyes, I was in my best attire, 
and also dressed in flowers. I wonder did it 
mean anything?” 

“ What should it mean ? ” asked the faithful 
Fairy. 

“ Mistress Cory Ann might say it was a good 
sign,” said Sally. 

“ Do not be a silly, taking note of signs 
and omens!” cried the Fairy. “ They bear 
no meaning except for simple souls that 
know no better than to make them up. Wise 


146 


MAID SALLY 


people and signs have naught to do with each 
other.” 

Still Sally felt happy. She was glad that in 
white array, with flowers and midst sunshine 
and songs of birds, she had first come face to 
face with her Fairy Prince. 

“ But he had been hurt,” reminded the 
Fairy. 

“ Not badly,” serenely smiled Maid Sally. 
“ He soon came around with a little atten- 
tion.” 

That evening Sally strolled around to her 
seat in the hedge, hoping and wishing that she 
might hear some of the reading that had always 
charmed her. But long she sat there before 
any one came to the arbor. The pale stars 
came out in the azure heavens, and indeed the 
maiden had a quiet nap before there came a 
sound to break the stillness of the pretty 
evening. 

Then the family coach drew up before the 
gate, and a gay company alighted. Sally 
knew by this that there had been a supper 


WHO WAS SHE ? 


147 


party somewhere, and that the young people 
had been away. 

Would they go directly to the house, she 
wondered, or would they stroll over to the 
arbor for awhile ? 

Ah, they were coming over. She wished she 
might peep at them in their fine attire, but 
no, it would not do to try, and besides, she could 
not see them very plainly now. Pretty soon she 
heard Lucretia say : 

“ I saw fair brows grow into a frown, when 
it was found you were too lame to dance to- 
night, my brother.” 

“ Ah, but very lucky was I to be able to go 
out at all to-night, after the hard fall of this 
morning,” cried Lionel. “ Hotspur hath no 
gentle plunge once his blood is up.” 

“ Has he ever thrown you before ? ” asked the 
Lady Rosamond. 

“ No, nor did he in truth throw me to-day,” 
Lionel replied. “ I had left the saddle of my 
own will, but by some strange bound Hotspur 
tossed me nearly up again, then banged me like 


148 


MAID SALLY 


a wisp against a tree. The heavy fall stunned 
me.” 

“ And Sam thought you inclined to wander 
in speech after the men found you,” remarked 
Rosamond. 

“ Which is entirely untrue ! ” exclaimed Li- 
onel, with some warmth. Then he added, in 
a gentler tone : 

“ I would I might know who was the bonny 
maid that bent over me and gave me cooling 
drops of water and bathed my face and brow.” 

“ Dost really think there was such a person, 
brother?” inquired Lucretia. 

“ It is quite as true as that I sit here this 
moment ! Whether a wood Fairy or a forest 
nymph I cannot tell, but a heartsome creature, 
all in white except for flowers of brightest hue, 
dropped water into my mouth and laved my hot 
brow.” 

“The other servants thought you wandered 
slightly,” again ventured Rosamond, “and as 
no one was in sight when they rode up, where 
could your nymph or Fairy have vanished so 


WHO WAS SHE ? 


149 


soon? Was not she with you but a moment 
before ? ” 

“ Only an instant before, my cousin. But 
never shall I yield to the idea that I wandered 
or that my eyes deceived me as to the vision 
upon which they rested. Some day I hope to 
see my dear Fairy again, and when I do, I shall 
know her.” 

Sally held her breath for very rapture. Ah, 
how strange, how sweetly strange ! He , her 
Fairy Prince, had called her his dear Fairy! 
Could it be ? Yes, it was true, true ! 

“ But, remember, he knows naught of you,” 
came the sad voice that always kept her down. 

“ See to it,” cried her cheerful Fairy, “ that 
should he ever see and know you, there will be 
naught for which to be ashamed.” 

66 1 will try,” said Maid Sally. 

But if Sally had been careful not to have the 
Fairy Prince see her before, doubly unwilling 
was she now that he should catch a glimpse 
of her. 

And not much danger of it was there except 


150 


MAID SALLY 


on Sundays, when he appeared at meeting. But 
Sally managed to stand behind the person in 
front of her, so that not a peep at her face did 
the young gentleman of Irigleside get, when 
during the last singing the congregation turned 
about and faced the choir. 

But under her broad-rimmed hat it is doubt- 
ful if Sally’s features would have reminded him 
of the nymph of the pine woods. And so cau- 
tious was Maid Sally that not another peep did 
her Fairy Prince get at her anywhere during 
the rest of his vacation. 

And but seldom did the careful maid go over 
to the beloved perch between hedge and wall. 
From her window she more than once saw 
Lionel go flying by on Hotspur’s back, for the 
Southern lad rode as if by nature the swift, 
noble horses always to be found in the stables. 

Then companies of young people would go 
forth on picnics, driving in wagons through the 
woods ; or riding parties would be formed, when 
Hotspur would be left at home, while Lord 
Rollin, Lady Grace, and other fine horses would 


WHO WAS SHE? 


151 


bear young men and maidens to the make-believe 
hunt, or on the long, breezy ride. 

And then again there came a fair September 
day, when Sally went to the quay, and away 
and away sailed the Fairy Prince, going back to 
his studies and the books that were to fit him 
for the life that lay ahead and the days that 
were to come. 

And back went Maid Sally to Mistress Kent, 
with the chief part of her “ History of Amer- 
ica,’ ’ and the founding of the Colonies safely 
lodged in the mind-cells under her red-gold 
hair. 

And although Ingleside seemed deserted with 
the sailing away of its only son, the old charm 
yet lingered about his home. 

One Saturday night in late October, Sally 
wandered over to the well-known plantation. 
Bill was combing and rubbing down the horses, 
Hotspur, Lord Rollin, Springer, Lady Grace, and 
Crazy Jim. 

Sally knew them all, could call half a dozen 
of them by their names. It sent a pang of 


152 


MAID SALLY 


regret to her little young heart, seeing the ani- 
mals that would feel the hand of their young 
master on the bridles no more for nearly a year 
to come. 

A little farther on Sam Spruce was picking 
at a banjo, and trolling in a sweet tenor an old 
plantation song. 

Everything seemed pleasant yet tinged with 
sadness, for all reminded her of the absent 
Prince. Not many children have the depths 
of imagination that had Maid Sally. But she 
would be thirteen in the winter, hers was a very 
loving, longing young heart, and she was almost 
alone in the world, for such children as some- 
times came around Slipside Row were not com- 
panions for her or such as she could like. 

And on this lovely, dreamy night, she 
strolled on and on, until she came close to 
Mammy Leezer seated flat on the grass, talk- 
ing away to herself as fast as her tongue could 
go. Her back was turned to Sally, and in the 
growing twilight she was not likely to see the 
lonely child. 


WHO WAS SHE? 


153 


Mammy’s pipe was in her hand, and every 
minute or two she would stop and take a long 
breath at it, sending a spire of curling smoke 
above her head. Sally could hear plainly what 
she was saying, and as usual the sound of her 
sweet voice was comforting. 

“ No,” she said, “ I doan’t like it one mite 
seein’ my young Mars’ Lion flyin’ off to Inglan’, 
and bearin’ all sorts ob talk ’bout wars an’ 
rumors o’ wars. What dat chile got to do 
with sech tings, I like to know ? Lorr sakes, 
it ain’t but yes’day I trot ’im on my ole knee 
first to Bosting, den to Lynn, den to Salum, 
and home, home agin ! And Lorr a-massy ! 
how dat lil trollop screech and scream when 
I put him on my big shoe and sing dat trip 
song ! ” 

Mammy stopped, held her pipe in a hand that 
rested on her knee, and softly wagging one foot* 
she began, in a slow, dreamy, singsong : 


Trip-a-trop-a-tronj es, 
De-vorkens-in-d e-boon j es, 
De-koej es-in-de-klaver, 


154 


MAID SALLY 


De-Paarden-in-d e-haver, 

De-eenj es-in-de-waterplass, 

So-pop !-my-lil-pick ? ninny-goes ! ” 

“ Lorr, Lorr ! I can hear dat poor lil monkey 
now, done choke a-larfin’, when his ole Mammy 
toss him up inten her lap.” 

But Mammy’s soliloquy was rudely broken in 
upon. Hotspur came tearing over the lawn, 
Bill in hot pursuit. 

“ Horrors unner hemlocks ! ” screamed 
Mammy, as the wild horse bolted by at a 
perfectly safe distance, then of his own accord 
pranced back to the stable yard. 

Up got Mammy and trundled away. And 
back toward Slipside Row went Sally, laughing 
at Mammy’s queer fright, but feeling thankful 
enough that she was only frightened, not hurt. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


TWO YEARS 

With the coming of another summer there 
were reasons why Sir Percival Grandison did 
not think it best to have his son Lionel come 
home. 

Troublous times were indeed brewing, and 
he did not want his enthusiastic son to hear the 
reports that were going from mouth to mouth 
and from place to place. 

And when the next December came he was 
glad the lad was away, for in Boston, men 
painted and plumed like Indians had gone at 
night aboard some laden vessels lying in the 
harbor, and had thrown nearly two hundred 
and fifty chests of tea into the water. 

For England was bound to tax the people of 
the Colonies for tea, beyond what they were 
willing to stand. And very patient had the 

155 


156 


MAID SALLY 


Colonists been. Eight years before this there 
had been a Stamp Act put upon them by the 
mother country, trying to make them put a 
stamp on all their law papers, newspapers, and 
such things. 

But this had made the people of the Colonies 
so very angry that the law was laid aside. 

Now, strange as it may seem, there were yet 
some of the people who did not quite know 
whether it was right to stand up and say that 
England was wrong, and they would not stay 
on her side, or to think that they ought to obey 
the king in everything simply because he was 
the king, and it seemed wrong to break away 
from his rule. 

And Sir Percival Grandison, really a fine, 
noble gentleman, found it hard to make up his 
mind as to what was entirely right or wrong in 
the important question. 

Sally was now so much a student that noth- 
ing, it seemed, could stand in the way of her 
books and her swift way of learning. She 
understood all about the trouble with England, 


TWO YEARS 


157 


and there was not a more decided, staunch little 
American patriot than was she. 

You know a patriot is one who loves well his 
or her own country, and Sally was a true, staunch 
young Colonist. And Mistress Kent listened in 
surprise to some things she said that winter, 
wondering that a mere child should know her 
own mind so well. 

“ I suppose,” she said one day, “ that we 
ought to love the king and obey him. But 
here we are way oh by ourselves in another 
country, where the people have their own 
homes, and fields and lands of their very own. 
And why should they want to keep taxing us 
harder and harder over in England, when we 
owe them nothing at all, and ask nothing of 
them ? I wouldn’t pay such unjust claims ! ” 

Mistress Kent was timid, and watched care- 
fully her speech, and could only warn the out- 
spoken child to be careful herself. 

“ The times are hot and full of threat,” she 
said, “ it is feared there may be fighting before 
long ; it were better to watch our words.” 


158 


MAID SALLY 


And Sally tried to be prudent, although it 
tried her sorely when Mistress Cory Ann would 
raise her voice and declare that folks were fools 
who thought it best to oppose the king. But 
she said those things most frequently when the 
men were away. 

And Sally found great comfort and delight 
in her lessons, which increased from time to 
time. She also sang in the choir and at sing- 
ing-school, greatly to Master SutclifFs help and 
satisfaction. 

One day she picked up part of a newspaper 
in the road, and was surprised to find that not 
a word of it could she read. 

This was late in the fall, after her Fairy 
Prince had again gone away, bound for Oxford 
and its halls of learning. And as time went on, 
not a particle of the dreamy, story-like charm 
that clustered about the young Lionel died out 
of her heart. If anything, it grew stronger. 
Nor was it strange that, with her fancy-loving 
nature, the lonely child had to set up a kind of 
dream-castle for her mind to feed upon. 


TWO YEARS 


159 


Yet all was pure and innocent as could be, 
and, if not real, it yet was helpful. And if into 
her heart had grown a kind of affection for her 
Fairy Prince, who was so far removed from 
her in many ways, she felt that it must always 
stay just where it was, in truth a secret admira- 
tion for one far beyond and above her. 

“ Because,” she said to herself, “ we are 
oceans apart, not only because the great sea 
rolls between us, but because in every way he 
is so far away.” 

Now on this day when the strange paper 
came into her hands, Sally went slowly along, 
puzzling over the words, until she exclaimed : 

“ Oh, I know what it meaneth ! The paper 
is in another language, and how I would like to 
understand it ! I must learn it if I can find one 
to teach me, I must, I must ! ” 

When she went at evening to Mistress Kent 
she took the sheet with her. 

“ Yes, it is a page of a French newspaper,” 
said the mistress, “and although I can make 
out many of the words, I have not enough 


160 


MAID SALLY 


knowledge of the strange tongue to think of 
teaching it.” 

A new ambition, or eager desire, jumped into 
Sally’s heart. 

*“ And is there no one who could teach me ? ” 
she asked. 

“ There may be many who could,” answered 
the teacher, “ but it hath always been thought 
a hard matter to learn another language. Par- 
son Kendall hath wide knowledge in Latin, 
Greek, and some say in French, also. But, 
knowing for one’s self, and imparting or giving 
knowledge to another, are two different things. 
It needeth a professor, or a teacher well skilled 
in other tongues, to teach them properly.” 

Into Sally’s mind leaped another thought. 

“ My Fairy Prince will learn these other 
tongues, why cannot I ? I will ! A way there 
must be. I am poor, but I can learn.” 

Mistress Kent then promised Sally that 
another year, when she would be fourteen, 
she should begin the study of Latin, if she 
kept on flying ahead with her studies as she 


TWO YEARS 


161 


was doing. There was no danger that Sally 
would forget the promise. 

That night she set her wise head to planning 
and asking in what way she could manage to 
take up the study of French. Her two spare 
afternoons were still taken up with Dame Kent, 
the mother of her good teacher. The evenings, 
all except Saturday, were given to lessons and 
the singing-school. What time was there for 
anything else ? 

“ Yet I will ! ” she said, over and again. 

“ That is right,” said her inner Fairy. “ Since 
the desire has come so strongly upon you to 
know the French language, only persevere, and 
the way to learn it will open.” 

It opened in so simple a manner as to again 
surprise brave Maid Sally. 

And her ever-present Fairy said : 

“ It doth in truth astonish me, the ease of 
it all.” 

She was on her way home from Mistress 
Kent’s when Parson Kendall came toward 
her. 


162 


MAID SALLY 


“Good evening, young maiden,” he said, 
with gentle dignity, “and how do the studies 
progress ? ” 

“ Very fairly, I thank you, sir.” 

“ And what are they now ? ” 

“ I have arithmetic, sir, grammar, geography, 
and history.” 

“ Quite a list ; and are the studies still 
pleasant to thee ? ” 

“ Very, very pleasant, I thank you, sir. 
But, ah ! if only I could learn the French 
language!” 

“ Learn French ! And what, prithee, would 
a maid of thy years be needing of that ? ” 

“I might need it when I am older, sir.” 

Then she added, with the respect that was 
natural to her, and was always expected of the 
young : 

“ I think I should much like studying other 
languages. Grammar please th me ; I like right 
well knowing my own parts of speech.” 

Parson Kendall looked pleased. 

“ When could’ st thou find time for another 


TWO YEARS 


163 


study ? ” he asked. “ It is no such simple thing 
to master a strange tongue.” 

“I could, sir,” was all Maid Sally said in 
reply. 

The parson smiled. 

“ Could’st which ? ” he asked. “ Find the 
time or master the language ? ” 

“ I meant, sir, I could learn the language, 
but Mistress Brace might have much to say if 
I asked for more time, and I must in some way 
work for the one who teaches me anything new.” 

“ Thou hast the right idea about some things,” 
said the parson, kindly, “ but go home now, 
and fret not about knowing another tongue at 
present ; it is not needed so early in life. But 
that which is greatly desired sometimes cometh 
to pass.” 

There was a twinkle in the good man’s eye 
when he last spoke that Sally liked to see. 

“ He is wise and kind,” she said, as the parson 
passed on, “ and I must wait for learning French 
until comes the right time for it, but learn it I 
must some day.” 


164 


MAID SALLY 


“ Think no more about it, but do the best 
you can with the fine teaching you have already/’ 
advised her Fairy. 

And Sally tried to heed the advice. 

It was but the next week on Wednesday 
afternoon, when Mistress Kent returned from 
visiting her sister, that she said to Sally : 

“ I met our good parson but just now, and 
he would like seeing you at his house on your 
way home. I hope he hath good tidings for 
you.” 

Sally trembled with hope as she went toward 
the parson’s house, and it may have been that 
he feared lest the little maid might find it hard 
to use the great brass knocker on the front door, 
for there he was in the garden as Sally entered 
the gate. 

“ It hath all been arranged, dear maiden,” 
he said, in so father-like a tone that Sally felt 
tears starting to her eyes. “I deemed it best 
to see Mistress Brace before saying more to 
thee about the French lessons, but the use of 
one morning is to be given thee. Come on 


TWO YEARS 


165 


Thursday by nine o’clock, and an hour and a 
half will I give thee. 

“ No payment will be required save that one 
or two simple rules must be observed. No more 
than half an hour a day at present must be 
given to French.- This will make progress slow, 
but it is of more importance that figures, history, 
geography, and thy native speech should be well 
learned than that thou shouldst know a foreign 
tongue while so young. 

“ And so, see to it that other studies are not 
neglected for this new one with a new teacher. 
This is all.” 

When Sally began to thank Mistress Cory 
Ann for her kindness in allowing her to go of a 
morning to the parson, sharp words arose to the 
mistress’s lips, but she kept them back. 

Sally was yet a great help to her. And a 
maid whom the parson would take pains to 
teach the French language was not to be too 
harshly treated. So she only said : 

“Ah, well, it seems not strange to me that 
one who thinks not much of our king should 


166 


MAID SALLY 


want to get able to talk with the French some 
day. So I told the parson he was welcome to 
teach you all the queer stuff he chose to, as I 
am sure he is.” 

Mistress Cory Ann Brace did not speak to 
Parson Kendall in that way at all, and Sally 
knew it. She curtseyed and bobbed and tried 
at first to pretend that she could not spare 
Sally during a morning. 

But when the parson said, quietly, “ Very 
well, then we must try some other plan,” she 
came around as if the word “ burgesses ” was 
again sounding in her ears, and said that after 
all she reckoned that on Thursdays she could 
let the girl off for a couple of hours in the 
morning, and so it was settled without more 
ado. 

Before spring again gave place to summer, ' 
the parson said to Goodwife Kendall : 

“ It doth astonish me, the way in which the 
Maid Sally Dukeen taketh her French ! I have 
of late granted her an hour a day at the study, 
she so desired it. She hath verbs, accent, the 


TWO YEARS 


167 


speech itself to a degree that will soon enable 
her to speak and write it correctly. And to- 
day the pretty wench asked if in the fall she 
could drop geography and take up Greek ! ” 

“ I bethink me she must have come of a race 
strong of will, keen of intellect, and quick to 
learn. I would that we knew more of the 
maid.” 

Did Sally grieve that no Fairy Prince would 
come sailing home on the Belle Virgeen when 
June would be rich with flowers and song? 

Yes, and no. Down deep in her heart was a 
little murmur of pain. But her Fairy had cried 
as if in scorn : 

“ And what, prithee, have you to do with 
the comings and the goings of the Fairy 
Prince? If it be the will of his father that 
he should stick to his studies and not mix at all 
with the strife, and, it may be, the peril of these 
days, why should it cause you sorrow ? Dream, 
if you must, of the lad that is far away, but 
concern not yourself with the course that is 
marked out for him.” 


168 


MAID SALLY 


And Sally was ashamed to mourn or sigh 
over her Dream Prince, except so far down in 
her heart that even her own inner Fairy could 
scarcely know it. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


HOME AGAIN 

As the next fall came on, there were clouds 
and a coming tempest in the air. British sol- 
diers in gay uniforms were seen about the 
roads, and Mistress Kent’s dame school did 
not open as usual. 

The parents of young children did not like to 
send them out every day, even with a servant 
to look after them. The blacks were easily 
alarmed and might not prove faithful. 

The tobacco was cut and stored in sheds, 
but when it would be shipped was uncertain. 
And Sir Percival Grandison was anxious be- 
cause the Belle Virgeen did not come sailing 
back on time. 

The Fairy Prince was nearing home at last, 


170 


MAID SALLY 


and a tall, shy maid in her teens was glad that 
he was on the way. 

Sally would soon be fourteen, and it was 
doubtful if another so young a maiden in all 
Williamsburg, even the well-taught daughters 
of the rich planters, knew more or as much of 
that which comes through books, as did the 
young maid, Sally Dukeen. 

She had learned as if by magic, and kept 
learning every day. And by paying attention 
to scraps of conversation that floated to her 
ears, and getting hold of a newspaper now and 
then, she knew all about the conflict or struggle 
that was almost on between what men had 
fondly called “ the mother country ” and the 
American colonies. 

And now the Fairy Prince at nineteen was 
on his way home midst all the trouble and din. 
Would he fight? He was under age, but Sally 
had heard him speak of such manly things as 
“ duty ” and “ putting down wrong and holding 
up the right.” 

One thing she felt was certain. No one could 



“MORK THAN ONE BRITISH SOLDIER STATIONED IN THE 
TOWN HAD LOOKED SHARPLY INTO THE DEPTHS OF 
HER SUN- BONNET.’* 




nOME AGAIN 


171 


keep him out of the trouble if he felt it his 
duty to stay and help his country in her hour 
of need. 

And now there was rejoicing when the Belle 
Virgeen came slowly up to the quay after having 
to pick her way midst unfriendly vessels that 
would gladly have swooped down upon her, tak- 
ing her cargo and capturing her crew, had they 
quite dared. 

This time the vessel arrived in the night, so 
there were only family friends to greet and wel- 
come the few passengers she had borne back to 
their homes. 

And so many were coming and going, the 
roads beyond Shady Path were so full, and 
every one so excited that Sally, now a tall, 
blooming maiden, could not race about as 
when she was younger, nor did she wish to. 

More than one British soldier stationed in the 
town had looked sharply into the depths of her 
sun-bonnet when Mistress Brace sent her on an 
errand to the store. 

One great joy remained to her. She studied 


172 


MAID SALLY 


French and Latin with Parson Kendall for a 
teacher. But as he thought it better that her 
other studies should be kept up, she recited but 
twice a week. 

And so a month had gone by, and she had 
not caught so much as a glimpse of her Fairy 
Prince. 

One afternoon, early in November, she was 
on her way home from the parson’s, and had 
left the road leading to Ingleside, when Mammy 
Leezer’s round figure appeared in the road. 

“ Laws, honey ! ” exclaimed the old Mammy, 
“ how you does grow ! Why, bress yo’ heart, I 
haven’t catched a sight o’ you in an age, and 
here yous most a woman grown. Makes me 
tink ob how dat young Mars’ Lion have corn’d 
up to be a man all to onct. 

“ Oh, but honey ! ” Mammy’s voice sank to a 
whisper, and she looked around as if in fear of 
being overheard, “ dat Mars’ Lion, he bound to 
fight de Britishers toof and nail, but his pappy, 
Mars’ Perc’val, he’s for totin’ him right back to 
Inglan, but Mars’ Lion, he won’t be toted. He 


HOME AGAIN 


173 


say dis yere’s his own country whar he wor 
horn’d and here he shell stay. 

“ Mistis Gab’rell, she cry and try to make 
him promise to keep quiet, and dat Mis’ Ros’- 
mand she act like she own him soul and body. 
Mars’ Perc’val, he say he’s sorry he let him 
come home, but lordy massy ! dat chile would 
’a’ corned lett’n’ or no lett’n’. 

“ But you see, de fac’ is, dat boy chuck full o’ 
fight. I tell ole Uncle Gambo dar must be 
somesin in dis yere soil dat make de chillern 
love it and stan’ up fo’ it and fight fo’ it.” 

“ I’d fight for it, too, if I was a young man,” 
said Maid Sally. 

“ Would you, now ! ” exclaimed Mammy. 
“Well, I reckon de day is near when all who 
wants to fight will have de chance. Now I must 
go travellin’ home. I’m goin’ to make a plum 
jam betty fo’ my young mars’ supper, and no 
knowin’ how long his ole Mammy can cook fo’ 
him, he so done set on fightin’.” 

As Mammy rolled away, Sally said to her- 
self : 


174 


MAID SALLY 


“ I wonder why she tells me these things ? I 
never ask her questions.’ ’ 

Her Fairy answered : “ It is because those 
people are simple and confiding in one way, 
and in another way are sharper than you think. 
All the world likes sympathy, which is a kindly 
feeling toward others, and a willingness to listen 
to what is in their hearts. And Mammy sees 
that you pay attention to what she says, and it 
pleases her.” 

“ I must be careful,” said Maid Sally. 

“ You have need to be,” warned her Fairy. 

The days grew more full of excitement. 
There were whisperings, hot speeches, and mur- 
murings on every side. 

But in the midst of the boil and trouble 
Sir Percival Grandison, and a few others, 
determined to give a ball in the Hall of 
Burgesses in hopes to break in upon the 
stormy feelings that were abroad, and per- 
haps bring about a more peaceful state of 
things. 

The seat of government had been in Will- 


HOME AGAIN 


175 


iamsburg until that fall of 1774. Then it 
was removed to Philadelphia. 

There had been a splendid ball given in May, 
in honor of the wife and daughter of the gov- 
ernor, Lord Dunmore. And although the people 
neither liked nor respected the haughty, wilful 
governor, it yet was thought a proper thing to 
welcome with a gay gathering the ladies who 
had come to live at the “ Governor’s Palace,” as 
his home was called. 

Now the Hall of Burgesses was to see 
another brilliant affair, when people of rank 
and fashion would come together for a merry 
night, and Sir Percival secretly trusted that 
it might tone down the war spirit in his 
young son. 

Maid Sally cast about in her mind, wondering 
if she could possibly get a peep at the splendid 
scene, for ah, what delight it would be to look 
upon it, if only for a moment ! 

“It will be a brave sight,” said her Fairy, 
“ but it may stir feelings in your soul it were 
better should be at rest.” 


176 


MAID SALLY 


“ No matter for that/’ said beauty-loving 
Sally, “ I must see it if I can/' 

Yet how could she bring it about ? The 
church beadle, the dread man who went about, 
and, staff in hand, kept all younglings quiet in 
the meeting-house, the town-crier, who went up 
and down the roads and with a great bell in 
hand found a lost child or told unusual news, 
the constable and his two assistants, all these 
would be about the doors of the building so 
that the many coaches could drive up without 
confusion, and none but invited guests tvould 
dare to come too near. 

Children and upper class servants might gaze 
on at a distance, but no hangers-on would be 
permitted on that side of the road. 

Up came Sally’s will. Her strong, bright will. 

“ I mean to find some way to see it,” she 
said, “but not by doing anything of which to 
be ashamed.” 

“ Then set your wits to work,” said her Fairy, 
“ for wits you will need to bring that about.” 

And Maid Sally thought of a plan. 


CHAPTER XV. 


A COLONIAL BALL 

The next Wednesday evening, after singing- 
school, Maid Sally said to Master Sutcliff, with 
man} 7 a blush and a queer quaking of the voice : 

“ I have a great desire to see something of 
the fine ball, but there appeareth no way for me 
to do it.” 

Master Sutcliff laughed at the courage as well 
as the frightened, anxious face of the maid . He 
next looked thoughtful for a space, and then 
said, with nods and bows that made Sally’s 
heart leap : 

“ I play the violin for the company, and must 
needs have rosin at hand in case a string get- 
teth obstinate. And it might beseem me to 
have some one nigh to hand me music in the 
order it must be played.” 


177 


178 


MAID SALLY 


“ Oh, but I can’t be seen,” cried Maid Sally. 

“ No more you need, young maid. Many 
fiddlers wiil be there, and you can have a low 
seat, even on a cricket hard by the bass viol, 
and though the players will be on a high plat- 
form, you can hide for a little while behind the 
big instrument and have a good peep at it all.” 

“ How can I get in ? ” asked Sally. 

“ You can enter under the shadow of my 
wing,” said Master Sutcliff, “ but not long had 
you best remain. At first no one would notice 
’ you, but it might not be easy for you to long 
hide entirely : we change places once in a 
while.” 

“ I will go the moment I am bid,” said the 
maiden. 

In very truth all the bliss of Fairy Land 
opened up to Sally the next night. 

Never before had the maiden had an idea of 
the glamour, the bewitchment, the splendor of 
such a scene. 

The costumes, or dresses, the dancing, and 


A COLONIAL BALL 


179 


courtly manners, — the manners of those who 
are about the court of a king, — the music that 
thrilled and charmed her, sending all kinds of 
bright and airy dreams through her mind, all 
these sent the blood rushing swiftly through the 
veins of the delighted maid as, spell-bound, she 
peered from behind the great bass viol. 

“ Oh, it is heaven, heaven ! ” she panted, as 
with great starry eyes she looked down upon 
the splendid company. “And I, I could so 
enjoy it all, had I only been born to it ! Was 
I born to it ? Oh, no, no, it could not be ! ” 

“ Who knows ? ” faintly asked her Fairy. 

But Sally spent not much time in asking 
longing questions. The room seemed filled 
with the odor of musk, attar of roses, and 
cologne, flowers, and perfumes of many kinds. 

There was the governor, brilliant as a king, 
in purple velvet coat, gold lace, a white, flow- 
ered waistcoat with great frills of costly lace 
adown the front and falling over his white 
hands. 

Shining knee-buckles flashed back the light 


180 


MAID SALLY 


from hundreds of candles, which caught also the 
light from gleaming stones in the buckles of 
his high-heeled shoes. ' A man of fancy-fine 
appearance, but looked upon with eyes that 
loved him not, but rather despised him. 

The ladies were like Fairy dreams, in stiff, 
brocaded-silks, sheeny satins, ribbons, lace, jewels, 
and necklaces of gold, amber, and medallions — 
round stones with faces cut on them. 

With dazzled eyes, Sally gazed upon the 
courtlike appearance of Sir Percival Grandison, 
his wife, daughter, and niece. But her eyes 
lingered long on the Lady Rosamond Earlscourt. 

Never in her brightest visions had the poor 
maid watching from the platform beheld such 
radiance. The powdered hair was cushioned 
high on her head, and held between the puffs 
were white plumes and glossy leaves, joined in 
loops of small gilt chains. 

Her bodice, or short waist, of pink velvet 
w r as laced over gauze puffings and ran down 
both in front and at the back into long points 
over an upper skirt of white lace figured all 


A COLONIAL BALL 


181 


over with threads of gold. The overskirt of 
gauze and gold was looped high at the sides 
over a skirt or petticoat of white brocaded satin 
with a figure of pink roses. On cheek and 
chin were small black patches bringing out in 
vivid contrast the whiteness of her skin. 

Her snowy neck and shoulders were bare, and 
a string of thick gold beads strung on a wire 
kept directly in the curve of her throat. Gold 
bracelets with sparkling gems were on her white 
arms, a spray of pink roses was against her 
bosom, and the feet that peeped plainly from 
beneath her skirt were in white laced shoes, with 
high heels and rosettes from which glistened 
the bright tints of pink stones. 

Sally gazed enthralled, — held in a dream, — 
with a strange pain tugging at her heart. 

The question of why, why, was she out of all 
these things to which her whole nature leaped 
as if they should be hers by right, was only kept 
down by the wonder and splendor of all she saw. 

But she caught her breath in fresh admiration 
when her eye fell on her Fairy Prince. 


182 


MAID SALLY 


He had been detained a few moments m the 
rooms below, and was directly on a line with 
her eyes when suddenly she beheld him for the 
first time in more than two years. 

“ Fairy Prince ! Fairy Prince ! ” cried her 
heart and faintly cried her lips, and she knew 
it not when Master Clinton turned around from 
his bass viol, thinking he heard a strange sound. 
But he heeded not the rapt gaze of the maiden, 
for she sat quiet as any mousie while her eyes 
drank in the vision of her Fairy Prince. 

His thick hair was lightly powdered and 
curled at the ends. A coat of blue velvet with 
silver braid and buttons of filagree, — or wrought 
openwork silver buttons, — fitted as if moulded 
to his tall, erect young figure. His waistcoat 
of cloth of gold had frills of rich lace at the 
front, according to the general fashion of the 
day, and also at the wrists. A flashing diamond 
on his finger sent out shoots of red, blue, and 
yellow light. 

He wore knee-breeches of blue velvet with 
bands of silver braid and jewelled buckles at 


A COLONIAL BALL 


183 


the knee. His long white silk stockings were 
clocked, or embroidered at the sides, while high- 
lieeled, glittering dancing-pumps set off his 
highly arched feet. 

Sally noted the grace with which he bowed 
to the ladies and the low curtseys they re- 
turned. The ease and fine manners charmed 
her. 

“ They are born to it ! born to it ! ” sighed the 
poor young maiden. 

When the dancing began, she still sat en- 
tranced, watching chiefly one tall, splendidly 
arrayed young man who kept perfect time to 
the music, which rose and fell with a beauty of 
sound that brought tears to the eyes of Maid 
Sally. 

Master Sutcliff, seeing the intense delight on 
the face of the maiden, said within himself : 

“ She shall remain until it cometh time to 
serve the syllabubs, the cream froth and the 
nectars, then can she slip away without being 
seen.” 

It came all too soon, the pause in the merry 


184 


MAID SALLY 


dancing, for refreshments, when Master Sutcliff 
said, kindly : 

“ Now then, young friend, I fear me the time 
has come when you had best depart. I will go 
with you to the side door, so that none shall 
question or trouble you.” 

As they passed a long room, he said, “ Peep 
within a moment.” 

And Sally looked upon tables covered with 
all kinds of fancy dishes : there were froths, 
foamy custards, jellies she could almost see 
through, plum cakes, pound cakes, and the odor 
of strong, rich coffee, mingled with the scent 
of flowers. 

Colored servants were moving to and fro 
with the slow step of the Southern waiter, and 
everything was orderly, abundant, and inviting. 

Master Sutcliff said something to a man close 
at hand, and the next moment he was bidding 
Sally good night, at the same time he laid 
something on her arm. 

“ Merely a cheese-cake,” he said, and in the 
soft moonlight Sally saw that she held a heart- 


A COLONIAL BALL 


185 


shaped cake filled with currants, with thin spires 
of cocoanut and cheese standing thick all over 
the top. 

She entered the house through the shed at 
the side, went to her cubby of a room, and sat 
down on the floor with her head against the 
bed. 

“ I am too happy to undress,” she said, “or 
else too full of what I have seen. I must think 
it all right over.” 

And there she stayed the livelong night with 
her shawl about^ her. 

When at last she fell asleep, she saw her 
Fairy Prince, in his velvet coat, his rich small- 
clothes and dancing-shoes, as large as life before 
her. The music of the violins with the deep 
note of the bass viol sounded almost as plainly 
in her ears as they had in the Hall of Burgesses. 

But standing in the full light of the stream- 
ing candles was Rosamond Earlscourt, a lovely 
creature in silks and jewels, beckoning with an 
eager finger to the Fairy Prince. 

Would he go? He had started toward her 


186 


MAID SALLY 


when his eye fell on a young maiden who was 
hiding midst the players on the platform. 

This so alarmed the maid that she hid far 
behind Master Clinton’s bass viol. But peeping 
around after a few moments, she saw the Fairy 
Prince was close at hand. 

With a frightened jump she awoke. The sun 
was streaming into her little room. 

“ He was going to find me,” said Maid Sally. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


“i can’t buy tea” 

Although Sally had not slept until late the 
night of the ball, yet quite early she awoke the 
next morning, and, gathering the shawl closely 
about her, she began going over the fine sights 
and sounds, that had left a charm in her mind 
like unto a Fairy dream. 

The longing in the maid’s young heart for 
better things than those she had, fairly cried 
out within her, as she thought of the appear- 
ance and the graces of those high-born dames. 

“ I should have a better home,” she said, 
glancing around her miserable room. “ There 
must be ways in which I can raise myself. I 
am getting of an age to raise myself could I but 
see how to do it, yet I would wish to do nothing 
wrong.” 


187 


188 


MAID SALLY 


“ There can be no wrong in wishing to better 
your condition/’ said her Fairy; “you are no 
slave.” 

“ Then I will watch for a chance/’ said Maid 
Sally. 

“ Do/’ said her Fairy. 

In those days, Mistress Brace grumbled and 
scolded because she dared not buy tea. There 
was still a tax on it, and loyal colonists denied 
themselves tea sooner than pay the unjust 
tax. 

But Mistress Brace had no great love of 
country, nor did she care anything about the 
matters that were stirring the people way down 
into their hearts and souls. 

And so, after a time, she had grown tired and 
vexed at having to go without her tea. The 
only reason she had gone without it at all, was 
because the hired men — these were farmers 
who were hired by a planter — had said that it 
was known all over the place when any one 
bought an ounce of “the taxed stuff,” and 
that whoever got it was set down as being a 


“ I can’t buy tea ” 


189 


“ Tory,” which meant a person who favored 
England and the king rather than one’s own 
country. 

But there came a day not long after the ball, 
when Mistress Brace made up her mind that 
she would do without tea no longer. The hired 
men had put up with herb — they called it 
“ yarb ” — tea, made from herbs and mints, 
and had drunk it without complaint. 

But the mistress thought they need know 
nothing about it if she bought a package for 
her own use. Goodman Chatfield, who sold dry- 
goods and haberdashery, or small wares, on one 
side of his store, and groceries on the other, 
would sell no tea at all ; he was a true patriot, 
and “ the taxed stuff ” could not be found at 
his store. 

But the “ apothecary man ” kept a little 
“ for weak and sickly folk,” and now Mistress 
Brace handed Sally some money as she said : 

“ Here’s two and thri-pence, and you are to 
go to Doctor Hancocke’s store and buy half a 
pound of tea.” 


190 


MAID SALLY 


“ I can’t buy tea/’ said Sally, drawing back 
her hand and not touching the money. 

“ You do as I tell you ! ” cried Mistress Brace, 
with fierceness in her tones. “ If Doctor Han- 
cocke says aught about it, tell him I am not 
well and must have a good sup of tea to hearten 
me.” • 

“ But you are well,” replied Maid Sally, “ and 
it would not be right, either that I should tell 
a lie or that I should buy tea with the king’s 
tax upon it.” 

Mistress Brace raised her hand as if to strike 
the young maiden who stood straight and quiet 
before her. But she did not strike her, she only 
exclaimed again : 

“ Take the money and do as you are bid ! ” 

“ I can’t buy tea,” said Maid Sally. 

“ Then begone out of my sight and out of my 
house, and see that you come not back ! ” cried 
the angry mistress. “ Highty, tighty ! but a 
great time of day it is when beggars turn about 
and say 6 1 can’t,’ to those who have kept and 
fed them. Begone, I say, you malapert ! ” 


“i can’t buy tea” 191 

Sally turned away without a word, but when 
nearly through the doorway, she looked back 
and said : 

“ I am not a beggar. I am an American girl, 
and mean to act like one.” 

Now there is always something about the 
words of one who gets not in a rage, but answers 
coolly one who is in one, that cools down the 
wrathful person and sets him or her to thinking. 
And Mistress Brace was struck with fear. What 
had she dared to say ? And what meant Sally 
to do ? 

But her temper was too high to put down all 
at once, so she replied : 

“Very sure that you are an American, are 
you?” 

Then, as if it came into her mind that she 
had better not have said that, and as she also 
already wished she had not called the maid a 
beggar, bidding her go away and stay, she began, 
with a sour kind of laugh : 

“ Of course, I know nought of you before^ 
you were a baby wench of four years or so,;. 


192 


MAID SALLY 


and if you are so silly set against getting the 
tea — ” 

But Sally had darted to her tiny room. She 
would wait to hear no more. And thankful 
she was that Goodman Kellar came the next 
moment with eggs and butter for Mistress Cory 
Ann to chaffer or bargain about. 

Mistress Brace had never been soft of speech, 
although she could put on the manners of a 
well-spoken dame, but she had of late grown 
more and more rough and coarse, ordering Sally 
about at times in so unmannerly a way that the 
maid had more than once turned it over in her 
mind, wondering if she had any right so to 
order her. 

And then, in truth, Sally was noticing such 
things more after hearing Mistress Maria Kent’s 
nice and gentle speech than she had in the past. 
And now she hastened to get away if possible 
before Mistress Brace and Goodman Kellar should 
be done parleying. All her young spirit flamed 
up when the mistress called her a beggar, and 
although something fine in her nature kept her 


“i can’t buy tea” 


193 


quiet at the words, they were not to be passed 
over. 

She dressed herself with care, putting on a 
brown and scarlet linsey-woolsey gown but just 
made, and bought nearly all with her own 
money. Then she slipped out at the front 
door. It was her day to recite to Parson Ken- 
dall, and although she scarcely dared think it 
out, there was a resolve forming under the 
warm tints of her ruddy hair. 

But here was her Fairy with something to 
say. 

“ What are you going to do, Maid Sally ? ” 

“ I know not, good Fairy, but I mean not to 
sleep to-night at Mistress Cory Ann’s.” 

“ Hast any other home ? ” 

“ No, good Fairy, but mayhap I will find 
one.” 

“ Have you any fixed idea about it ? ” 

“ N-o ; I have only in my mind that of which 
I cannot yet speak.” 

“ Very well, then be brave and do not falter. 
You have long felt ill at ease with the Tory 


194 


MAID SALLY 


woman ; tell not too much, but speak the truth 
boldly.” 

“ I mean to,” said Maid Sally. 

After the French lesson was over, Sally lin- 
gered in the parson’s library. 

“ I gave thee the next reading, did I not ? ” 
asked Parson Kendall. 

“ Yes, I know about the lesson, sir,” replied 
Sally, “ but I know not where I had better go. 
I have no home.” 

“No home?” repeated the parson, “how is 
that? Hath the woman Mistress Brace cast 
thee out?” 

Sally turned pale, so great was her fright and 
her desire to cry. But a single word from her 
Fairy helped her : 

“ Courage ! ” 

“ I refused to buy tea at the apothecary 
man’s,” she said, “and Mistress Brace called 
me a beggar, and bade me go and not re- 
turn. I cannot be called a beggar, nor can I 
go back, when I have been told to stay away.” 

Parson Kendall toyed with his watch-fob, 


“i can’t buy tea” 


195 


looked at the braided mat on which he stood, 
and seemed studying the pattern of the border. 
After what seemed a long time to Sally, he 
said : 

“ Sit thee down for a moment, poor maid. I 
would speak with Goodwife Kendall for a space. 
Be not timorous, all may yet be well with 
thee.” 

Sally sank into a chair as the parson disap- 
peared. 

“ I’ve done it ! ” she said to her Fairy. 

“ Yes, and without many words,” answered 
her Fairy. “ That is always the best way to 
do that to which one has made up the mind.” 

Then Sally fell a-thinking. But so quickly 
beat her heart that she could scarcely sit still. 
And it beat all the faster when tine door opened 
and Goodwife Kendall, in a rustling black silk, 
with soft muslin collar and cuffs, and a lace cap 
upon her head, stood before her. 

“ I hear you have not so good a home, little 
maid,” she said, in a fine, low voice, “ as would 
beseem thee, and the minister has no mind to 


196 


MAID SALLY 


send thee back to it. So here is a plan. My 
two servants are faithful at their tasks, but 
there is much needlework that is needful to 
be done. My two sisters are to tarry with 
me for the present, and much visiting must be 
enjoyed. 

“ There are certain duties to be attended to 
in the minister’s family, and in his library, 
which it is not befitting that servants should 
be trusted with. Would it suit thee to be my 
helper for a time ? ” 

“ Oh, indeed, and indeed,” cried Sally, stop- 
ping to choke for an instant, “ I will so gladty 
and most faithfully do anything you may ask ; 
and I shall need nothing at present, I have 
clothes — ” 

“ Tut, tut, child ! ” said Goodwife Kendall, 
with a smile. “No one should work well to 
receive nothing in return, and I shall give thee 
two and sixpence a week, both to teach thee 
how to use a little money wisely, and also to 
pay for what I know thou wilt justly earn.” ' 

And seeing that Sally was at the point of 


“i can’t buy tea 


197 


bursting out crying, she added, while turning 
toward the door : 

“ Come, now, Parson Kendall will send to 
Mistress Brace for such clothes as you have 
bought for yourself, leaving all for which she 
has paid. It will please me to clothe thee with 
what may be needful from time to time. But 
there are dried berries to be picked over and 
put in soak before being stewed for supper. 
Come and let me show thee how to prepare 
them.” 


CHAPTER XVII. 


THE SOLDIER’S CARD 

“ 0 Fairy ! Fairy ! is not this grand ? ” 

Maid Sally stood in a little room, so neat, so 
prettily furnished, that it was to her like wak- 
ing up and finding one of her pleasant dreams 
come true. 

A cot with a real feather bed was in one 
corner, a small chest of drawers with a mirror 
on it, a mirror in a square frame screwed into a 
little stand, so she could bring it forward or 
push it back, was at one side of the room ; a 
small wooden rocking-chair stood by the win- 
dow, and a pretty painted wash-stand, with 
bowl and pitcher, a soap-dish, and a saucer for 
brushes, was opposite the bed. 

Sally looked with pleasure on the simple yet 
convenient things that she never had had the 
use of before. Then she said : 


THE SOLDIER S CARD 


199 


“ I feel as though these things fitted me. 
Yes, and even finer ones might, too. Why is it 
I have such feelings always rising within me 
whenever I look upon what is fine and would 
seem far above me?” 

“ I cannot tell you,” said her Fairy. 

“ Did you notice,” asked Sally, “ what slipped 
from Mistress Cory Ann’s tongue ? how she 
asked was I sure of being an American ? ” 

“ I noticed, surely,” said the Fairy, “but many 
a vain and useless thing will slip from the 
tongue of an angry woman. I think she meant 
but to taunt you.” 

“ Yet I wonder what she may know.” 

“ It would be wiser to stop wondering,” re- 
turned her Fairy. 

And now it was not only a new home, 
but a new life that had come to the pretty 
maid. 

Goodwife Kendall did not favor having too 
much time spent in arranging the hair, dressing 
up, and such like vanities. Yet much it did 
please her to see the beautiful fluff and rich curl 


200 


MAID SALLY 


of Sally’s red-gold liair after she had used on it 
a good brush and comb. 

And a “ changeable ” silk of pink and gray, 
making an “ ashes of roses ” color, that had 
hung useless in the closet for a year, made so 
becoming a gown for the blooming maid that 
Goodwife Kendall feared lest the bright young 
head might be turned at sight of the fair vision 
flashed back from the little mirror into the 
clear, dark eyes. 

And Parson Kendall had some ado in striving 
to keep back from her ears sundry and divers 
compliments and sweet sayings that began to be 
tossed about, bearing on the growth and beauty 
of the Maid Sally Dukeen. 

As winter rolled away and spring came on, 
the threats and mutterings against the governor 
and king grew louder and ever louder, and 
spoken with less fear. Work was going on in 
the fields and on the plantations, but men met 
at the corner of the roads and at the stores, 
talking long and earnestly, and with stern faces 
and dark brows. 


THE SOLDIER’S CARD 


201 


Sally had seen the Fairy Prince ride by a 
number of times, sometimes with his cousin 
Rosamond Earlscourt at his side. With other 
new feelings, Sally had begun to feel backward 
at thought of going again to the seat behind 
the hedge. She could read anything now, 
and in more than one language. No excuse 
any longer for wanting to hear another read, 
and something told her that slyly listening was 
not becoming in any person of right ideas. 

One day at dinner, — always the noon meal 
in those days, — Parson Kendall said : 

“ It is now reported that Sir Percival Grandi- 
son, after much thought, feels it his duty to 
side with the king, and not to aid the colonists. 
But he hath great todo in striving to keep 
down the fiery spirit of his young son. The lad 
thinketh himself old enough to have a mind of 
his own, as indeed he is, and he greatly desireth 
to have his name enrolled as a soldier, if fight- 
ing must be done. It is sad to have father and 
son divided at such serious times, and Sir Perci- 
val wishes not to deal harshly with his son. 


202 


MAID SALLY 


Yet th6 young man is with the colonists heart 
and soul.” 

“And how old is he?” asked one of the 
sisters. 

“ He is nineteen, not yet of age.” 

“ But if there should be fighting, think you 
not there would be many a stripling,” asked 
Goodwife Kendall, “ of even seventeen or eight- 
een, who would enter the ranks on our side ? ” 

“ I have no doubt of it,” answered the par- 
son, “ and it may be that very glad we shall be 
of the assistance of the younglings.” 

No one noticed how rosy grew the face of 
Maid Sally, or how short became her breath as 
the talk went on. But long ere this had she 
made up her mind that, should war break out, 
her Dream Prince would want to be in the thick 
of the fight, and on the right side. 

The lad who stood at the edge of the lawn 
one night, and said, in firm, decided tones, that 
he meant to act as should a man, would never 
sit tamely down and let others struggle for the 
liberty he was to enjoy. 


THE SOLDIER’S CARD 


203 


One soft evening well past mid April, Sally 
walked over in the direction of Ingleside. She 
had wearied at heart for the sound of the voice 
of her Fairy Prince, yet she told herself there 
was but little chance of hearing him, even should 
she go but just once more to the rocky seat. For 
had she not seen him go by but a few moments 
before in the Ingleside coach ? 

No ; Sally thought it was he who sat beside 
his sister Lucretia, but she was mistaken. 

“ I will see if the seat still be there,” she 
said to herself, as, entering the hedge, she saw 
in a moment that the great stones were just as 
they had been months before. 

Ah ! but she had been there only a few mo- 
ments when she blushed and tightly clasped her 
hands together at sound of a well-known voice, 
as quick footsteps came toward the arbor. 

“ Now here,” said the voice of the Prince, 
u we can talk without danger of being over- 
heard. 

“ You know, Reginald, I would not willingly 
do anything to disturb or to anger my sire, but 


204 


MAID SALLY 


I feel it my solemn duty to do all that one 
young man can to put down tyranny and unjust 
rule, which is oppression. 

“ How can my father allow himself to be so 
mistaken ? Or how can he fail to see that Gov- 
ernor Dunmore has insulted us, and treated us 
like children in taking away our gunpowder, 
leaving us as he did with no way of defending 
ourselves in case of an attack ? 

“ I reckon he found out his mistake when he 
was obliged to pay us for it, for he could not 
stand before the fury of the people when they 
found out what had been done.” 

Poor Sally had felt a twinge that hurt when 
Lionel Grandison said, “ Now here we can talk 
without danger of being overheard.” The nicer 
part of her nature asked if she ought not at once 
to go away from the rocks. But she could hardly 
have done that without herself being overheard, 
and sooner than risk that, she made up her 
mind that this time she must stay, but that in 
the future she must sit no more between the 
wall and the hedge at Ingleside. 


THE SOLDIER’S CARD 


205 


She knew the companion of her Prince to be 
Reginald Bromfeld, who spoke next : 

“ I have but an hour ago heard from Boston, 
and the town is red-hot over the unlawful, dar- 
ing conduct of the soldiers, and the government 
that has sent them over here. Mark my words ! ” 
exclaimed young Bromfeld, “ it won’t be long 
before a blow will be struck that meaneth war, 
and when it is, it will be near Boston town that 
the first sharp crack of a gun will be heard. 

“ And also when that blow is struck, I shall 
be on the ground almost before one could say 
6 Jack Robinson ! ’ ” 

“ I would I could go too,” said Lionel, “ running 
like ‘ Sam Hill ! ’ ” 

Both young men laughed a little, then Regi- 
nald asked : 

“ But would that be best ? It may be that 
Virginia’s sons will need remain to defend her. 
You know I hail from Boston, am native 
there, although business affairs of my mother’s 
have brought me here.” 

“ I should not mean to fly from duty,” said 


206 


MAID SALLY 


Lionel, “ but wherever the first hard blow for 
freedom is struck, there w r ill men be needed, 
and for a time at least I think the conflict will 
be hottest near old Boston town.” 

There came at that moment the sound of gay 
voices from near the house. 

“ What you say may be true,” Reginald has- 
tened to reply, then he added in a sly tone, 
“ but I thought it might be there were fair ones, 
I might say, a fair one, it would be your first 
sweet duty to stay and defend.” 

“ Oh, prithee, halt ! ” cried Lionel, half im- 
patiently. “ The fair one I would guard and 
defend, at present, is my native land. All 
fair dames and maidens have my respect and 
command my service, but I can think neither 
of billing or cooing or wooing with sound of 
clanking guns being raised in our midst, and 
by those who call us ‘ rebels ! ’ 

“ Now here come the ladies. And hark ye ! 
the subject must be changed. I like not talking 
of war with those who think it sin to take up 
arms against the king.” 


THE SOLDIER’S CARD 


207 


After they had gone Sally sat for several 
moments lost in thought. 

“ It would sometimes seem that he loveth 
the Lady Rosamond not one whit,” she said, 
dreamily. 

Then she arose, shook out her pretty skirt 
with its simple but tasteful overskirt of flowered 
cloth, and began a leisurely homeward walk. 

Her heart-beats quickened and she turned her 
head aside, when two soldiers appeared at a 
turn in the road. She could usually avoid meet- 
ing them, but to-night they were so near she 
must needs pass them. 

As she hurried by, some green sprays she had 
held fluttered to the ground. The next instant 
a tall, graceful form was by her side, and a pair 
of curious eyes were peeping into her straw 
bonnet. 

“ Permit me, ma’selle,” said a pleasant voice, 
and the green sprays were offered her. 

Sally had raised her eyes in surprise, but said 
“ Thank you,” and was hurrying on when the 
soldier suddenly exclaimed “ Ah ! ah ! ” as if 


208 


MAID SALLY 


surprised at the beauty of the young face, and 
had no mind to let the maid escape so easily. 

“ There are many abroad to-night/' he said, 
with a strange way of calling his words, “ and 
it might be convenient to have a friend near ; 
would ma’selle permit me to walk beside her ? ” 

But Sally, with all her shyness at times, was 
no coward, and she very well knew that the 
British soldier and a stranger should not seek 
to walk with her. So she replied, in a low voice 
but with a fine, maidenly air : 

“ My home is at the parson’s close by. I 
have no fear, nor is there need that any one 
should walk with me/’ and she raised her eyes 
part way to his face. 

The soldier said “ Ah ! ” again, but this time 
with so great a note of surprise that Sally looked 
him full in the face, and lo ! it was not a young 
man at all that she saw, but a tall, handsome 
man with thick moustaches that were going gray. 

Now neither Englishmen nor Americans wore 
moustaches in those days. A beard or side- 
whiskers were often worn, but Sally had never 


THE SOLDIER’S CARD 


209 


before seen a man with long moustaches that 
swept his smooth cheek. 

But it was not the brave, distinguished look of 
the soldier that made Sally pause for an instant 
with her eyes on his face. Some dim memory 
was stirred at sight of him. As she dropped 
her eyes the soldier said, in a gentle voice : 

“ Would not young ma’selle tell her name? 
I bear myself a name both true and tried, one 
of which never to be ashamed. I would know 
what name ma’selle is called by.” 

Sally was quick of thought. 

“ Parson Kendall might better tell my name,” 
she said. “ Oh, and here comes Mammy ! ” 

And making excuse to dart away, Sally has- 
tened forward at sight of Mammy Leezer, who 
had come along at the right moment. 

Mammy was out in great glory. A gay 
bandanna, really a handkerchief of red silk with 
yellow dots, was made up into a gay turban, 
with rabbit’s ears that stood erect just over the 
middle of her forehead. 

Another gay kerchief was crossed over her 


210 


MAID SALLY 


ample bosom, and her skirt of white cotton 
with a red stripe stood out stiff with starch, 
making Mammy look much like a sailing bal- 
loon as she came slowly along. 

“ What dat sojer man sayin’ to you, honey ? ” 
she asked, as Sally flew up to her in a way to 
do her affectionate old heart good. 

“ Nothing much,’ , said Sally. “ I dropped 
some leaves and he picked them up for me, but 
I didn’t want him stepping beside me, so I 
ran up to you.” 

“ Which am de proper ting to do,” said 
Mammy, with dignity. “ Doan’t you let none 
of dem Britishers go sparkin’ yo’ pritty face, 
honey, nor doan’t you be a bit ’fraid o’ dem, 
neder. I nebber was ’fraid ob de face of clay, 
and dar doan’t no sojers make eyes at me when 
I goes out walkin’ ov an evening.” 

Sally wanted to laugh at the pompous air 
with which Mammy stalked along, much like 
an old dragoon, she thought, for the soft spring 
weather had helped her rheumatism, and she 
could get along with considerable comfort. 


THE SOLDIERS CARD 


211 


But the road forked, and Mammy went off 
toward Ingleside, while Sally went on to the 
parson’s. 

She had reached the gate, and was startled as 
she began going up the gravelled walk to hear 
a soft voice beside her say : 

“ Allow me, ma’selle, ,, and the tall soldier’s 
sword grated on the walk, as, bending low, he 
put a card in the curve of her arm. Then lift- 
ing his hat gay with gold lace high above his 
head, he said, with his gentle accent, “ Au re- 
voir, ma’selle.” And he was gone. 

“ He is French,” said Sally, “ for he said c Au 
revoir, ma’selle,’ and that means ‘ adieu, or 
good-by, mademoiselle, until we meet again.’ ” 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


THE BREAKING OF THE STORM 

Peace was at an end. The smell of war was 
in the air. May had dawned, hot, sweet, and 
full of the jangle of many tongues. Strange, 
wild things were happening, and so swiftly that 
hardly could men sleep, so fierce were they for 
news. 

Lord Dunmore, Virginia s s governor,' was 
looked upon as an enemy, false and dangerous. 
Besides trying to take from the people all their 
gunpowder, it was found that he had tried 
to stir up the Indians to make one of their cruel 
attacks upon the people. Soon after this he 
left Williamsburg not to return. 

News travelled but slowly in those days, and 
so the May sun had been shining some weeks 
when a man on horseback brought the tidings 

that at about the same time that the gunpowder 
212 


THE BREAKING OF THE STORM 213 


had been seized, there had actually been fight- 
ing near Boston. 

“ Think of it !” exclaimed Parson Kendall, at 
the table at noon ; “ the messenger who rode 
into town this morning saith that seven of 
our minutemen were killed, and four others 
wounded, at Lexington, not far from Boston. 
And at Concord also, close by, there soon fol- 
lowed more fighting. 

“ Thinketh any one that we will lay down 
our arms after that ? Not so ! not so ! ” cried 
the parson. “ The British rushed forward and 
\ destroyed our stores, making sad havoc for 
a time, but at what a cost ! They very soon 
were to know with what manner of rebels they 
had to deal. 

“ The whole body of Continental soldiers 
sprang to their guns, the news spread from 
mouth to mouth, and from town to town. Out 
poured the people from farm, hamlet, and shop. 
Boys who had ever handled a gun rushed to 
the scene, and from behind trees, rocks, and 
buildings came a steady fire into the British 


214 


MAID SALLY 


ranks, and had not help come to them from 
Boston, none of those British soldiers would 
have escaped alive. Three hundred of them 
were beaten down as it was. 

“ Glory to God ! Such men as ours cannot 
be beaten. But the town is on fire. Young 
Reginald Bromfeld, who hath of kith and kin 
in Boston, is about to start with a company of 
youths for Boston, and declareth that he can 
scarcely wait to perform the journey, so anxious 
is he to shoulder a musket, aye, and use it too. 
I can but wish the lad Godspeed ! 

“ Sir Percival Grandison, whom I cannot but 
hold as a good man, hath forbidden his son — 
most unwisely, I fear — to take part with the 
colonists either here or elsewhere. And Sir 
Percival is a man of iron will. Beshrew me ! 
but I have it in my heart to believe that he 
would keep the lad from Boston by force, could 
he do it in no other way. 

“ And it hath also been told that the proud 
maid, Rosamond Earlscourt, hath said all in her 
power to make him feel that he is acting both 


THE BREAKING OF THE STORM 215 

unjustly and unkindly in taking a different side 
from that of parents and sweetheart — for such 
she seemeth to hold herself to be. No Southern 
gentleman would like such words. 

“ And report hath it that Sir Percival mean- 
eth to go to England for a time, as soon as busi- 
ness matters can be settled here and permit. 
Ah, but he must act swiftly ! ” 

Sally had listened with ears that tingled. 

But all this time there was in her heart a 
puzzling question, and it had to do with the 
soldier’s card. By the light of a candle, the 
night she received it, she had seen a name that 
made her start. For she saw at once that it 
was the same that she had seen on the cape and 
in the letter in Mistress Brace’s little trunk. 

“ What could it mean ? ” Sally dreaded to 
know, because the name was plainly a French 
one. She had no love or liking for British sol- 
diers, still less for a French soldier who would 
take up arms against her own dear land. 

u For it shall be my own dear land,” she said, 
the determined cleft settling in her chin. 


216 


MAID SALLY 


But small time there was to spend over mys- 
teries or hidden things. War had begun, and 
her Prince at Ingleside must fight his nearest 
friends if to battle he would go. 

“ I would that I could help thee, Fairy 
Prince ! ” she cried in her heart. 

Did some kind Spirit hear her prayer ? 

Three days later, toward the close of after- 
noon Sally went toward the woodsy place and 
the pine-trees she had long loved. 

She went to the other side of the great oak 
and sat down on the moss, her back against the 
tree. She could not easily be seen from the 
narrow path as she thus sat cosily curled. 

“ They say ” — she caught her breath — 
“that the morrow morn, there goeth forth 
with Reginald Bromfeld, my Fairy Prince, Leon 
Sutcliff, Edward Byrd, Hugh Spottswood, and 
others to join the forces at Boston, so sure are 
all the people that great strife is at hand in that 
quarter. And very swiftly are they to press 
forward, hoping to be in time for it. 

“ I must get a look at my Fairy Prince in the 


THE BREAKING OF THE STORM 217 


morning. He will not hear me bid him ‘ God- 
speed/ but Godspeed I shall bid him with all 
my heart.” 

She stood up, intending to walk on, but at a 
little turn in the thicket road farther on, she 
saw three horsemen slowly advancing. They 
wore light riding-coats, which had concealed the 
scarlet coats of the king’s men, but these outer 
garments were now thrown open, showing clearly 
the colors beneath them. Sally at once sat 
down again, huddling herself close at the back 
of the oak, hoping not to be seen as they rode 
by in single file. 

On coming near, the first man turned in his 
saddle to answer a remark of one of his fellows. 

“ I will hold,” he exclaimed, softly, “ that I 
liked it not his keeping so still. It would have 
served me better had he kicked or shown temper 
as I expected.” 

“ What good would that have done ? ” asked 
the other, stopping his horse a moment, that 
seemed well spent. 

“ No good,” answered the first man ; “ but it 


218 


MAID SALLY 


was a dirty piece of work at best. I would that 
Sir Percival could have found another way of 
keeping back his young son. Strange it were 
to spirit away the lad in that style. He really 
thought he was showing us the way, not seeing 
the colors we wore until too late.” 

“ My Fairy Prince ! ” gasped Maid Sally, 
“ my Fairy Prince ! ” 

“Make no more talk,” said the third man, 
stoutly. “ No harm hath been done, no harm 
whatever ! And well paid are we to be. The 
lad will simply be detained until too late to join 
his comrades, a matter of two days or so.” 

“I half fear me the sharp wits of the lad 
will find him a way of escape,” said the first 
speaker, “ and he is but six hours’ ride from 
Pamunkey turnpike, where the others will ride 
at noon to-morrow.” 

“ Aha ! ” said the third man, “ but Farmer 
Hinds will watch him well. His reward will 
sharpen his eyes, no doubt.” 

“ He would be all right could he but get 
a horse,” said the first man. 


THE BREAKING OF TIIE STORM 219 


“ And no horse will he get within miles of 
Darius Hinds’s old farm place for days to come/’ 
said the second man. “ Plenty of oxen, but 
never a horse or a mule. But come on ! Tired 
out I am. Our work is done. And no one 
knoweth aught, except that the pert young 
plotter Bromfeld was told that, at the last 
moment, Sir Percival Grandison’s upstart war- 
rior had changed his mind and started on a 
little journey.” 


CHAPTER XIX. 


ONE NIGHT 

Home went Maid Sally, head down, heart 
full. She knew the whole story. What should 
she do? Tell Parson Kendall, and let him fly 
to the rescue ? Then might the king’s men 
interfere, and great trouble come to the good 
parson. 

Ah ! she knew what to do. Find Reginald 
Bromfeld, and let the gay troop pass that 
way on the morrow and release their com- 
rade. That they could easily do, even should 
it take a little time. 

She went home to her supper, and then, say- 
ing she would take a walk, started for the 
Widow Bromfeld’s, about a mile away. When 
near the place she met an old colored uncle, 
and asked where she might find Master Regi- 
nald Bromfeld. 


220 


ONE NIGHT 


221 


“ Nowhar,” answered the old man. “ He 
done gone with young Mars’ Sutcliff, Mars’ 
Byrd, Mars’ Spottswood, Mars’ Norris, and 
Mars’ Culpeper for Bosting town, an’ only de 
good Lawd know whedder any ob em ebber 
come walkin’ back alibe.” 

“ When did they go ?” panted Sally. 

“ Two hour ago, missy. For some reason 
’bout gettin’ guns, dey mus’ stop on de way. 
But dey all gets to de big turnpike to-morr’ 
noon. Den dey cuts fo’ Bosting.” 

Sally turned back, and, walking briskly, was 
soon at home and in her room. While it was 
still early she went to bed. 

But sleep was as far from the maiden’s 
eyes as though such a thing had never been 
known. Her Fairy Prince had been trapped, 
gently it was true, yet trapped, and led off 
where he would be watched, and not be 
able to meet his friends until too late to 
join in the great battle they felt was near at 
hand. 

“ And he is at the farm of Darius Hinds, six 


222 


MAID SALLY 


hours from Pamunkey turnpike/’ she said, as if 
repeating a well-learned lesson. 

When she laid herself down that night, Sally 
had felt almost sure that there was no help for 
her poor Prince. The times were dangerous. 
To tell what she knew might make strife right 
in their midst. She was afraid for others, but 
never for herself. 

As the clock on the stairs struck eleven, she 
heaved a great sigh. “ If I could only help 
him ! ” she cried, softly, to herself. 

“ I will help him ! ” she cried again, “ I will.” 

Then she paused in self-surprise. 

“ What is there inside me,” she asked, “ that 
leaps up with such strength whenever I say ‘ I 
will ? ’ And what makes me say it ? Have 
I strange, hardy blood in my veins making me 
want to fight ? I do want to fight ! They tell 
that boys twelve years of age are shouldering 
guns and rushing into battle at Boston. A gun 
I would shoulder this very night and march 
forth to fight those redcoats were I a boy. I 
am but a maid of fourteen years, but something 


ONE NIGIIT 


223 


I would gladly do for my country, and, alas ! 
for my Fairy Prince.” 

She put her red-gold head down on her arms, 
which were folded across her knees as she sat 
up in bed, and for several moments she neither 
spoke nor stirred. 

All at once, as though some one had touched 
a match to a pouch of powder, up she started, 
her eyes wild with excitement. 

“ I have it ! ” she exclaimed, springing softly 
to the floor, “ I have it ! May I but have the 
luck I crave, and my Dream Prince shall go 
free ! ” 

What she meant to do her red lips did not 
utter. But she dressed plainly and carefully, 
and from a drawer she took a piece of black 
lace and wound it about her head and over her 
forehead. 

Down-stairs she crept, and in the porch put 
on a long, straight coat worn by the parson 
when for exercise he worked in the garden, and 
on her head she put an old straw hat with 
a broad rim, half shading her face. 


224 


MAID SALLY 


Then she passed out at a rear door that was 
not locked, and walked into the road with a 
long, careless stride. 

The colored boys were often thus seen going 
from place to place late at night. And with 
her goldy hair pressed under the dark lace, her 
face partly covered by the big hat, and the coat 
closely buttoned and reaching nearly to her 
heels, Sally might well have been taken for 
a tall boy bound on an errand, or striding 
homeward from a late dance. 

She made straight for Ingleside, reaching it 
from the parson’s at a point below the stables, 
and, oh, joy ! she nearly cried out with delight. 

Hotspur was tethered in a square paddock, 
well behind the stables, Sampson, or “ Samp,” 
an enormous watch-dog who would have let 
no stranger approach, beside him. But Samp 
she knew well, and quieted him with a soft 
word. 

What made Sally so sure that she could ride 
a great fiery horse she could not have told, but 
some* natures there are so fearless and yet so 



“ FOR SALLY NEITHER DREW REIN NOR DID HOTSPUR ONCE 
BREAK HIS LONG, SPLENDID STRIDE.” 




ONE NIGHT 


225 


sweet that animals will follow them wherever 
they may lead. 

And when Maid Sally went up to Hotspur 
and drew down down the beautiful short head 
and patted and pinched the soft nose, then, 
letting down a couple of bars and pulling at the 
bridle, led him over the thick turf, the great 
creature followed with slow, silent tread as the 
brave young girl went out into the back road. 
Samp went back as he was bidden, obedient as 
a child. 

On went Sally, her heart thumping lest some 
one should hear and sharply order her back. 

At a little distance she led Hotspur to a stile, 
and climbing up, still holding the bridle, she 
mounted without accident. 

“ Now up and away, Hotspur ! ” she cried, 
pressing her feet to the powerful sides. And 
up and away it was ! 

For Sally neither drew rein, nor did Hotspur 
once break his long, splendid stride until nearly 
an hour had passed. 

Sally had noted the direction from which the 


226 


MAID SALLY 


three horsemen had come in the afternoon. 
She knew also that Pamunkey turnpike was 
almost a day’s journey from Williamsburg. 

Fully four hours must she ride before going 
half the distance. But the stage-wagon was 
slow compared to Hotspur’s fleet hoofs. 

The meeting-house clock had struck twelve as 
she rode through the town, and now it must be 
about one. But a single help could she have 
to guide her, and she said to herself : 

“ Well it is that Parson Kendall hath taught 
me somewhat about the stars. I must keep the 
big dipper directly before me or I shall alter my 
course. Pamunkey turnpike lieth before me as 
the crow flies. Often enough have I heard 
that.” 

As if her own voice was like company, she 
asked : 

“ Now, good Fairy, what must I do ? ” 

And she pretended her Fairy made answer : 

“ Be wise. Speak to no one unless forced to. 
Poke a sharp toe against Hotspur’s side should 
any one try to stop you. If speak you must, 


ONE NIGHT 


227 


let it be in the words and tones of the black 
people. This you could do very well. Make a 
queer jumble of what you say, to confuse any 
who may question you.” 

And Sally answered, demurely : 

“ All these commands will I obey.” 

Then she laughed merrily, and Hotspur sud- 
denly kicked out his hind legs as if full of sport 
himself. 

For two hours Sally rode on undisturbed, 
then there loomed a great wagon she must 
either meet or hide somewhere to avoid it. 

She thought it safer to ride to the back of a 
great barn and hide. But Hotspur liked not 
being drawn up into the dark shadow. Just as 
the wagon rumbled by he gave a loud neigh. 
Up went a window somewhere overhead. 

“ Who’s there ? ” called a harsh voice. 
“ Answer, or I’ll let out the dogs.” 

“Say, Mars’,” called Sally, in a shrill tone, 
“ how far to Parson Kendall’s, and how far to 
Farmer Hinds’s ? ” 

“ You must be a fool ! ” replied the gruff 


228 


MAID SALLY 


voice. “ Parson Kendall’s lies way behind, two 
or three hours’ ride. Hinds’s place is two hours 
ahead, straight along by the bushes, through the 
oak belt, and on by the river path.” 

“ De bushes road straight on, isn’t it ? ” asked 
Sally. 

“ Follow your stupid nose, and half an hour’s 
ride will bring you to it. I say, whose horse 
have you got there ? ” 

“ Yah ! yah ! dis hoss get me dar all right,” 
cried Sally, and hitting a heel against Hotspur, 
she was off like a rocket, hearing nothing 
more. 

But alack ! five or six horsemen next ap- 
proached on the lonely road, and there appeared 
no way of escape. The house and barn were 
far behind, nor would she have turned and 
fled. Only open fields and meadows lay ahead. 

Then Sally made a mistake. 

She pulled a stinging sapling from a bush, 
thinking to give Hotspur a smart switch, and so 
race by as the men came up. Had she but 
known it, a gentle slap from her hand on his 


ONE NIGHT 


229 


shining flank and a hiss in ear would have sent 
the proud animal bounding forward like a deer, 
exactly as she wished. 

So fine a horse would be noticed anywhere, 
and men were abroad who would gladly have 
snatched Hotspur as a rich prize, and borne 
him away where a great price he would have 
brought and none too many questions asked. 

Sally gave the men a wide path, but one 
called, sharply : 

“ Halt ! Who goes there ? In the king’s 
name, who art thou ? ” 

Sally gave Hotspur a wild cut from the whip 
in her hand. The spirited creature stopped 
short, then reared so high that only by fling- 
ing her arms about his neck did the maid keep 
from being flung to the ground. 

“ Hotspur ! Hotspur ! ” she cried in his ear, 
“ go on, oh, go on ! ” 

Aloud, she cried : 

“ Oh, wot Mars’ Kendall, wot Mars’ Hancocke 
do if we gets late ! ” 

“ Who are you ? ” cried another man, riding 


230 


MAID SALLY 


nearer ; and Sally wailed again about getting 
late. 

“ Stop your nonsense ! ” sung out another 
man, trying to get close enough to the still 
prancing Hotspur to clutch at the frail bridle. 

Maid Sally made no mistake that time. 

Raising her arm, she gave the man’s horse 
a cut across his face, which set him jumping 
madly, putting the others into a panic also. 

At the same moment, Sally cried in Hotspur’s 
ear, “ Go on, boy ! Now, now, Hotspur, sh ! 
sh ! ” And she patted his neck quickly but 
gently and pressed a foot against his side. 

With one leap forward, Hotspur was off on 
a hot race that Sally could not control. She 
lay along his back, rolling from side to side, as 
Hotspur, his fierce blood now up, tore by bushes, 
trees, pounded over a little bridge, dashed up 
one hill, down another, and only yielded to 
Sally’s soft calls as they came to a sleeping 
village and a clock struck three. 

“ 1 really haven’t been one mite afraid,” said 
the plucky maiden. 


ONE NIGHT 


231 


In another hour she felt that she ought to 
be near Farmer Hinds’s. And she was glad to 
see a yoke of oxen lumbering along, a great 
covered wagon behind them. Judging by his 
appearance, a colored man walked beside them. 

Furniture was piled in the wagon, and Sally 
easily guessed that a family were about to move, 
and a servant had been sent on before daybreak 
with some of the furniture. 

“ I say, Uncle,” she called, pleasantly, “ whar 
dat man Hinds have his farm ? ” 

“ Whar you get dat hoss ? ” was the reply. 

“ Whar dat Hinds live ? ” cried Sally. 

“ You bettah get off’n dat hoss,” said the 
provoking old man. 

A little thin, piping voice, somewhere between 
the truck in the wagon, suddenly arose : 

“ Just you keep right on, and purty soon you 
come to a hill, then a meet’n’-house, then a piece 
of river paff, and the Hindses farmlands lies 
right ahead in the woods.” 

Again it was a long stretch and a lonely way, 
but morning had dawned when Sally and her 


232 


MAID SALLY 


brave steed reached a deep dell close to the 
Hinds farmlands. 

Here she tied Hotspur by the bridle, and 
finding long saplings, she twisted them into the 
bridle on the other side and so made the horse 
fast as she could to a stout but slim tree. 

Then she felt that the hardest part of all was 
before her. 

“ You must be brave,” said her Fairy. “ You 
are tired, and excited, but wide awake. Make 
no mistakes. Remember, Hotspur is close by. 
The Fairy Prince may yet reach his friends in 
good time. But beware. He is no doubt a 
prisoner. Be sharp ! ” 


CHAPTER XX. 


IN CAMPAIGN 

Sally’s soft tread was heard only by a great 
dog who rushed out as she crept toward the 
hay sheds at the Hinds farmlands. 

She easily made friends with the dog, who 
trotted quietly away after being patted and 
quieted. 

It was plain that some of the house servants 
were already astir, but Sally kept out of sight 
as best she could. 

One thing she did that pleased her greatly. 

She got into the barn and filled the front of 
the coat with hay. This she carried to Hotspur, 
who enjoyed the crisp breakfast greatly. 

“ I wish I could bring you water, dear,” she 
said, “ but how am I to get my own breakfast ? ” 

For with all her shrewdness, the maiden had 


233 


234 


MAID SALLY 


given not one thought to food when she started 
out, and a healthy maid of fourteen could not 
long be unmindful of hunger after a four hours’ 
ride. 

In a few moments however, she was to be 
glad of having made friends with the great dog. 
For a colored boy put a pan with meat bones, 
cold biscuit, and a basin of water by the shed, 
for the dog’s breakfast. 

As the boy slouched away, up crept Sally, 
and snatched two of the biscuit, and oh, what 
luck ! a good doughnut, long and twisted, was 
close against the biscuit. She snatched that 
too. 

“ Surely I may have part of the dog’s food 
without stealing,” she said. 

Then she cast about in her mind how next to 
proceed. Time was precious. 

Now it may well be supposed that during 
her long ride so bright a maid as Sally would 
have tried to think of some plan that might 
help her once she reached her journey’s end. 
And she had not forgotten that all she had 


IN CAMPAIGN 


235 


heard and learned about the present condition 
of her Fairy Prince had come to her as she sat 
by a tree. 

“ Might not a tree help me again ? ” she 
asked. “ Could I but make a sound, or give 
a sign, it surely would help me, if only the 
young Prince came near enough. I can think 
of no other way unless I hide about the house 
and watch my chance for a quick word.” 

Ah, but with others around, how long might 
it be ere the chance would come. And time 
was passing swiftly away. 

A fine elm stood before the house, and Sally 
resolved to scramble into it and at least take 
a good look around. The branches grew closely, 
and fortunately came nearer the ground than 
was usual A 

She watched some time before daring to 
climb, but at length she found a place where 
she could seat herself, and the great boughs 
made a very good screen. 

Another precious hour went by ; it was 
between five and six o’clock. Farm-hands 


236 


MAID SALLY 


were at work. Sally could see them in the 
distance. 

All at once she caught her breath in the way 
natural to her when surprised or excited. 

For there at the front door stood her Fairy 
Prince, but with how gloomy and clouded a 
face ! And close beside him was a strong and 
stalwart man. 

“ His guard ! ” whispered Sally. “ Shameful, 
oh, shameful ! ” 

The two strolled out and down the path. 
Sally nearly choked as they paused close by the 
tree. In her hand she held a bit of bark, 
picked with a purpose. 

The older man turned his head. Down 
fluttered a bit of bark close to young Lionel’s 
feet. Down fluttered another. The young man 
looked up. Sally made a swift sign. 

“ I wonder which way is the wind,” said 
Lionel ; “ the vane is just out of sight.” 

The man walked a few yards away toward 
a corner of the house. 

“ Don’t look up,” called Sally, in a loud 


IN CAMPAIGN 


237 


whisper, “ but Hotspur is here. Down in the 
dell to the right. Run ! he is only lightly tied. 
The others will be at Pamunkey turnpike at 
noon.” 

The man was already turning back, and Sally 
was surprised and, ah ! how greatly disappointed 
to see her Fairy Prince go quietly with him to 
the porch. 

Did he not hear her? Did not he believe 
her ? The days were such as to make men 
crafty, quick to catch an idea, swift to use it. 

Aha ! as the front door, heavy and thick, 
was reached and both were stepping in, Lionel 
gave the man a sudden push, sending him head- 
long into the hall ; then he slammed to the door, 
and rushed like mad to the dell sloping off to 
the right. 

In a moment the great door opened and the 
attendant and another man ran out, but almost 
the next instant Sally, straining her ears, heard 
the rush and sweep of a fleet horse that seemed 
to scud like the wind, and — her Fairy Prince 
was free ! 


238 


MAID SALLY 


“ There he goes ! And I helped him ! ” 
gasped Sally, hugging her own young breast 
and quivering in every limb. 

The men looked right and left and listened, 
half deceived by the sound. At last, far down 
the road, they saw horse and man, but going at 
a pace it were mere folly to strive to overtake. 

“We cannot catch him, and if we could he 
would defend himself now,” said the man who 
had guarded Lionel, in a voice of anger and 
concern. “Woe the day! What will Sir Per- 
cival say ? ” 

“ His orders were that not an instant was he 
to be out of our sight,” said the other man. 
“ One or the other of us was to be on the 
watch.” 

“ And he was not out of my sight,” said the 
first man. “ I only left his side a moment be- 
fore to look at the weathercock, and he stood 
alone just where I left him as I turned back. 
We came through the doorway together, then 
he pushed me fairly over and ran away. Woe 
the day ! I shall lose both respect and reward.” 


IN CAMPAIGN 


239 


“ How in the name of Great Caesar could he 
have gotten a message about the horse ? ” asked 
the second man. “ 1 have seen no one around.” 

“ Nor have I,” was the reply. “ Beshrew 
me, but I could half believe the Fairies or the 
witches have been about ! It is a mystery 
indeed.” 

He added, gloomily : 

“ Now I must acquaint Sir Percival of what 
hath happened, and, by my faith, I had rather 
take a ducking or show a broken limb.” 

It seemed to Sally that the men would never 
be done looking about, peering here and there, 
but keeping near the house, as if bent on finding 
some one who had helped Lionel’s escape. It 
was not until the middle of the morning that 
they went into the barn ; then, with many a 
' halt, she finally let herself down from the tree, 
but only to hide behind another. 

Sally was thankful when at last she found 
herself in the road after creeping from one 
cover to another. Then, with a slouching step, 
she moved more rapidly away. 


240 


MAID SALLY 


For a long time she kept steadily on, then, at 
a great field she was passing, an ox team, 
loaded with marshy grass, came toward the 
road. 

“ Might I cotch a ride ? ” she said to the 
man who was guiding the oxen. 

“ Tired, are ye ? ” called the man. 

“ Tired I’ll be afore I gets to Homeview,” 
said Sally. 

Homeview was a plantation near Williams- 
burg. 

“ Get ye up then,” said the man. “I goes 
far as Humphrey Three Corners, that’s all.” 

By walking and begging many a mile’s ride, 
and also by begging two or three cups of 
milk, Sally reached Parson Kendall’s near sup- 
per time, as hungry and fagged a maiden as 
one would wish to see. 

She managed to enter the porch and hang 
up the coat and hat without being seen by 
any of the parson’s family. Then she started 
for the library, but met the parson in the 
hall. 


IN CAMPAIGN 


241 


“ Whither away, maiden ? ” cried the parson, 
sternly. 

“ I would have speech with thee in the 
library,” said Sally, rather faintly. 

“ And I would have speech with thee ! ” the 
parson replied. 

Not a word spake good Parson Kendall while 
Sally told her story. 

Goodwife Kendall knew that Sally had re- 
turned, but so discreet a tongue had she, that 
not even her sisters knew that the whereabouts 
of the maiden who had appeared neither at the 
breakfast nor the dinner table were unknown 
either to the parson or his wife. 

There was silence as Maid Sally finished her 
strange, brave story. 

Was her best friend, the kind parson, angry 
at what she had done? Would he blame her 
sharply, or cry shame on so bold a deed ? 

A queer note there was in his voice when he 
spoke at last. 

“ I am proud of thee, maid, proud of thee ! 
Thou art fit to rank with the soldiers who 


•242 


MAID SALLY 


would put, down injustice and oppression. But 
why aid the young son of Sir Percival Grandi- 
son, why he in particular, eh ? ” 

For a moment it was Sally’s turn to be silent. 
Then she said, with her steadfast eyes on the 
parson’s face : 

“I have told you, sir, what floated to my 
ears. It was the first case wherein I bethought 
me that my own courage might serve my coun- 
try in a way, and serve one of her sons, too.” 

Parson Kendall was content with the reply. 

“We worried over thee this morn,” he said, 
“ and have made quiet inquiries to-day, but all 
without letting any one know thou hadst really 
disappeared. Do not so try us again.” 

“ I will not,” said Maid Sally. 

“ Now get for thyself food and- drink,” said 
the parson. “ I have sharp summons to attend 
upon Mistress Cory Ann Brace, who lieth ill at 
her house. I was about to set forth to visit her 
when thou appearedst. And after thy repast, 
thou hadst best go to thy bed at once. I will 
speak with Goodw.ife Kendall a moment con- 


IN CAMPAIGN 


243 


cerning thy story. Long sleep wilt thou need 
after thy night’s campaign.” 

Sally smiled at the parson’s speech. Full 
well she knew that while an army kept the 
field it was in “ campaign.” 

“ Did I keep the field last night, sir?” she 
inquired. 

“Verily I think thou hadst the field all to 
thyself, from set out to finish,” smiled the par- 
son. “ I am proud of thee ! But let us know 
the next time when thou goest on rescue.” 

“I will, sir,” said Maid Sally. 


CHAPTER XXL 


THE QUEER NAME 

When Sally, bright as a new sixpence, ap- 
peared at breakfast the next morning, Parson 
Kendall regarded her with much thoughtful- 
ness. And when he said, soberly, “ I would see 
thee again in the library after thy meal is fin- 
ished, ” she wondered what he might have to 
say. 

He spoke gently, but wasted no words as he 
began : 

“ Maid Sally Dukeen, it hath pleased God to 
take unto himself the woman, Mistress Cory 
Ann Brace, who departed this life at midnight 
just past. 

“ But there was that on her mind which it 
beseemed her must be told before she could die 
in peace. And she made confession that thy 

244 


THE QUEER NAME 


245 


father left thee suddenly when thou wert but 
six years of age, and being a stranger, and 
thinking better of Mistress Brace than I greatly 
fear she deserved, he left thee in her care, to- 
gether with a considerable sum of money, which 
was to pay for board and proper schooling. 

“ But being tempted of the Spirit of Evil, 
Mistress Brace used the money as if it was her 
own. A large portion of it she had spent, but 
some yet remains. This, she also confessed with 
tears and with sighs, she intended to put at 
interest as soon as some of our present troubles 
were over. 

“ What thy treatment was with Mistress 
Brace we need not dwell upon.” 

“ She was not cruel, sir,” said Maid Sally, 
wishing in her tender young heart to speak 
kindly of the dead. 

“Not cruel, perhaps, as to violent treatment, 
child,” said the stern, just parson, “yet I hold 
it cruel, ah, very cruel, to have kept thee much 
as a serving-maid, and keeping back thy educa- 
tion as she did, and would have continued to 


246 


MAID SALLY , 


have done, had it not been for the good blood in 
thy veins that cried out for better things.” 

“ Have I good blood in my veins, sir ? ” cried 
Sally, twisting her pointed fingers in an eager, 
nervous way. 

“ Aye, the best of blood, dear child, and the 
will of an iron-nerved forefather. I hurried out 
last night for that man of the law, Sir G-aspard 
Culpeper, that he might witness to what the 
poor misguided woman had to say, and wishing 
God’s mercy for myself as well as for all others, 
I have it in my heart to admit that ignorance 
had much to do with the great mistakes of 
Mistress Brace and her dealings. 

“ Hast thou ever seen this name before, Maid 
Sally ? Look well upon it, and try to re- 
member.” 

Sally looked at the paper the parson handed 
her, and the rich blood spread over her face. 

“ Speak truth, child,” said the parson. 

“ I did indeed see that name once, both on a 
cape and in a letter that lay in a little trunk at 
Mistress Brace’s,” said Sally, “and — and — ” 


THE QUEER NAME 


247 


“ Speak out without fear,” said Parson Ken- 
dall, as Sally groped for words ; “ much depends 
on my having a clear understanding of all thou 
canst tell.” 

Then Sally told of the soldier who had thrust 
his card into her bended arm. 

“ It was the same queer name,” said Sally. 

“ Dost know what language it would be- 
long to, young maid ? ” and the grave parson 
smiled. 

“ The soldier I think was French,” said the 
maiden, a droop of disappointment in her voice. 
“ I fear me the name must be French also.” 

“ Spell it, and then pronounce it,” said the 
parson. 

And Sally spelled, then pronounced : 

“ ‘ D-u-q-u-e-s-n-e, Doo -kcine.’ ” 

“ You need feel nought but pride at bearing 
that ancient name ! ” cried Parson Kendall. 
“ No more noble officer hath the French navy 
ever known than the fearless, distinguished 
commander who once bore it. A marquis, child, 
a French nobleman ! A Protestant, who con- 


248 


MAID SALLY 


quered Spanish, Danes, and Dutch during his 
splendid career. 

“ Hast not thou felt the will of thine an- 
cestor, stirring thee to make the most of thyself ? 
Hast thou not felt within thee a craving for the 
best things in life ? Hast not thou pushed thy 
way up to those better things ? ” 

“ Yes, oh, yes ! ” burst forth Maid Sally, with 
a great shuddering sob. “I felt it! I almost 
knew it ! My good Fairy felt it must be so ! ” 

“ Your good Fairy ? ” The parson looked 
amazed. 

“ Yes,” cried Sally, for to the winds went all 
fear of letting the kind parson know what was 
in her heart, and what had been one great com- 
fort of her poor little life. 

“ Yes, my good Fairy, sir. I talked with 
another part of myself and found help in pre- 
tending a Fairy dwelt in my soul. My poorer self 
was one part of me, the good Fairy the other. 
And the good Fairy did hearten and comfort 
me.” 

“ One was Sally Dukeen,” and the parson 


THE QUEER NAME 


249 


smiled most pleasantly, “ the other was Sara 
Doo-kane. Strange how the accent of but one 
letter can change a name. I fancy it was Mis- 
tress Brace’s incorrect way of calling it. 

“ But there is more for you to know. Your 
mother was an English lady, also of excellent 
birth, but on the way to this country with your 
father, to seek a better fortune, she died. 

“ Now very early this morning I sought out 
the soldier, Officer Duquesne, of whom you have 
told me and of whom I have heard. And al- 
though I know him to be a very different man 
from your ancestor of nearly a hundred years 
ago, and his also, and fighting I hold on the 
wrong side, he yet told me some things I was 
pleased to know. 

“The man who gave you his card, my dear 
maiden, was your father’s own cousin, and I 
feel sure he once felt great love for your mother. 
He told me of having seen a young maid who 
was so much the image of a beloved friend of 
the past that he desired to know her name. 
And tears filled his eyes when I showed him a 


250 


MAID SALLY 


small painted picture of your mother that had 
lain in Mistress Brace’s little trunk. For she 
would have us find the trunk and see what was 
hiding inside.” 

“ There ! ” again exclaimed Sally, “ I have 
said to my Fairy, ‘ How know I but Mistress 
Cory Ann hath things that were my mother’s 
and should belong to me ? ’ ” 

“ There was a cape of finest needlework,” 
continued the parson, “ probably the one you 
saw, also a letter of importance, as it told the 
name of your mother’s family, and a few articles 
beside money, of value to you, found in the little 
trunk. Here is the picture of 3 T our poor mamma.” 

Sally gazed with curious eyes at the little 
painting that was so like her own face as seen 
in the mirror, that she exclaimed : 

“ It is like my own face ! ” and suddenly she 
kissed it, a quick, warm kiss. 

“ I wonder what made me do that ? ” she 
asked, with a feeling of confusion. 

“I think it was your warm French blood,” 
said Parson Kendall. 


THE QUEER NAME 


251 


“ And what was my mother’s name ? ” asked 
Sally. 

“ Earlscourt. She was of the same house as 
Lady Gabrielle, wife of Sir Percival Grandison, 
although well removed. Officer Duquesne of 
the British army thought your mother lost 
money through some of her relatives, who have 
died, so nothing can be proved.” 

“ Enough has been proved ! ” cried Maid Sally. 

Parson Kendall smiled. 

“ There speaketh your good Fairy,” he said ; 
“ enough has been proved. You are of noble 
blood on your father’s side, and the Earlscourts 
hold themselves to be of the best, as no doubt 
they are. What better could’ st thou wish ? ” 

Sally was speechless. 

She had not taken in the whole truth of the 
last fact until it was thus plainly set before her. 

Of kin to her Fairy Prince ! 

Could it be true ? Yet here sat Parson Ken- 
dall, who had heard the story from her father’s 
own cousin, a man who knew root and branch 
all the truth as to her kindred and relations. 


252 


MAID SALLY 


“ I think I had better go away and be alone 
by myself,” said Sally, her face crimson, a 
feverish light in her eyes. 

“We will say nothing of this outside the 
house for the present,” advised the parson. 
“ Officer Duquesne is one of the king’s men, — 
and by the way, we had but until lately a fort 
of that name, — and he quite likely will acquaint 
Lady Grandison with the fact that she hath a 
young kinswoman in the town. But, my dear 
damsel, she would, I fear, look but coldly just 
now on one whom she would regard as a little 
rebel.” 

“ Then her son is a rebel, too,” said Sally, 
with dimples plumping in. 

“Yes, and hath been aided in helping the 
rebel army, by his young kinswoman, Sara 
Duquesne,” laughed Parson Kendall with quiet 
glee. 

“ I must go away by myself awhile,” again 
said Maid Sally. 

“And take thy good Fairy with thee,” said 
the parson. “ But return from wherever thou 


THE QUEER NAME 


253 


goest in an hour, for Goodwife Kendall and 
myself go to Cloverlove plantation to dine, and 
we go by stage, which passes there and will not 
return until near evening. 

“ I have lessons for thee to learn, and would 
not have thee dwell too much on the knowledge 
that hath come to thee, and is indeed very 
pleasant.” 

“ I think the world has turned topsyturvy,” 
said the maiden, with the look of one who 
dreams. 

“And Fairies are but bright fancies of very 
human creatures,” said the parson, in a low, 
kind voice. 


CHAPTER XXII. 


THE BATTLE OF GREAT BRIDGE 

It would seem that the knowledge Maid Sally 
now carried under the burning gold of her thick 
tresses was making a woman of her. 

Very gay and glad at heart was she, for, had 
not the dearest dream of her life come true ? 
She was a high-born damsel, and — could it 
be true ? — the blood of her Fairy Prince was 
also in her veins. 

But instead of being filled with foolish pride 
because of these things, she said wisely to her- 
self : 

“ Now must I study yet more, for I would not 
shame in any way the people who are my people 
although they know me not. Some day they 
may know me well.” 

And so the maiden plunged into her books 


254 


THE BATTLE OF GREAT BRIDGE 255 

6 

anew, and also grew skilled in embroidery, even 
copying the pattern on her mother’s dainty cape, 
and copying it well too, on a skirt of fine India 
muslin that had lain in Mistress Brace’s trunk. 

A few weeks after the young Virginians had 
started for Boston there had come a hard battle, 
even the battle of Bunker Hill. 

And Hotspur had borne his young master to 
the distant colony barely in time to take part 
in it, after first meeting his friends at the turn- 
pike. 

In July, Sir Percival Grandison received from 
his son an account of the hard contest. He 
told how all night he and his comrades, delicately 
nurtured young men all, with soft hands and 
lions’ hearts, had worked with pick and shovel, 
and with the rank and file, in throwing up 
breastworks. And so quietly was the work 
done that neither a sailor in the near harbor, 
nor the British sentry but a little away, had 
heard a sound. 

“ Although not a great victory for us,” Lionel 
wrote, “we yet showed what kind of men the 


256 


MAID SALLY 


British have to fight, and our untrained men 
put to flight soldiers of long experience and 
training. We feel sure of victory in the end.” 

One balmy night in August, Sally saw 
Mammy Leezer trundling up the road, her red 
and yellow rabbit’s ears, or points of her bandanna 
turban, cocked high and important, her white 
cotton skirt stiff as starch could make it, and 
hep pipe no doubt in a deep pocket. 

Mammy was the only person at Ingleside who 
had known anything about Sally at Slipside 
Row. But it will be remembered she also knew 
something of her father, and always declared 
she “ nebber b’long’d in dat Row, nohow.” 

Sally answered Mammy’s cheerful greeting, 
and then asked, gaily: 

“ Going to war, Mammy ? ” 

“ Goin’ to war ? ” cried Mammy, with a fear- 
ful rolling of eyes. “ Now what you take me fo’, 
honey ? But I spect you heer’d de news. Dat 
Mars’ Lion, he cornin’ home soon. Mars’ Perc’- 
val, he talkin’ o’ goin’ to Inglan’ ’fore long, and 
Mars’ Lion, he hev to come back to Virginny 


THE BATTLE OF GREAT BRIDGE 257 

and look affer de plantation and we at de 
cabins.” 

Then Mammy lowered her voice, and asked, 
with a mysterious air : 

“ Hev you done heer’d ’bout dat Hotspur 
helpin’ Mars’ Lion get away to Bosting town ?” 

“ How was that ? ” asked Sally, for indeed 
not a word of gossip had she heard about the 
affair. 

Mammy went on : 

“ Ob course Mars’ Perc’val won’t hev a word 
said to him on de subjec’, and I doan’t b’leeve 
he know what to tink ob tings. But shor’s 
yore born, honey, I b’leeve de folks up at de 
house tried in some way to keep Mars’ Lion 
from goin’ to Bosting with dose odder boys he 
done go with. 

“ And, honey,” — Mammy Leezer held up a 
dark finger to make more dreadful her solemn 
air, — “ one night* las’ May, dat Hotspur, he 
done gone from his outside box, and needer 
hoof, head, or tail ob him lef’. And dar warn’t 
no man come for dat hoss ! Bill, he wor awake 


258 


MAID SALLY 


all night, and lil Jule, she hev a mis’ry in 
her lil stummick, so I’se up ’bout all night, 
and no one come round dat stable we knows 
dat night, yet, in de mornin’, dat Hotspur, he 
clean gone.” 

Mammy put her hand, edgewise, side of her 
mouth, and whispered, loudly : 

Sperrits, honey ! Sperrits ! ” 

Sally laughed and shook her shining head. 

“ Oh, no, Mammy,” she said, her voice full 
and bubbling, “ no, no ! spirits don’t come with 
strong hands and feet and take a horse away. 
Bill had a nap, little Jule got easy, and you 
dozed, then some person led Hotspur away.” 

Mammy looked carefully around, then said, 
with a twinkle in her eye : 

“ Ennyway, I’se glad dat boy get away. Dis 
yere war won’t help de Inglish any. De ole 
king needn’t tink he can put his big foot on de 
people’s neck, and dey not kick back. 

“ Let Mars’ Perc’val and Mistis Gran’son go 
back to Inglan’ ef dey wants to. Dey soon 
come totin’ back ’gain. And Mars’ Lion, ef he 



THE BATTLE AT GREAT BRIDGE 




THE BATTLE OF GREAT BRIDGE 259 

is a young man, can run de place all it want to 
be run while dese times is goin’ on.” 

So be was coming back ! her Fairy Prince! — 

“ I must learn yet more,” said Maid Sally. 

And so, while the dragon-fly buzzed in the hot 
summer sun, and the lazy breeze scarcely stirred 
the cobwebs strung from bush to bush, while the 
flaming poppies were seen through mists of heat, 
and the cattle stood knee-deep in the streams, 
Maid Sally studied, recited, sewed, picked over 
fruits, baked, and grew skilled both in pantry 
and in parlor. 

Truly a little woman of the olden time. 

Not often did the old-time parson freely praise 
any one. But Parson Kendall one day said to 
Sally : 

“ I deem it but just, Maid Sally Duquesne, to 
say that very nobly hast thou done with thy 
lessons. Many a fine lady might well be proud 
could she stand by thy side, equal with thee in 
learning.” 

And Sally could have hugged herself from 
very happiness. 


260 


MAID SALLY 


Then came the cooler days of autumn. The 
cotton had burst its bolls, the sugar-cane given 
up its sweets, the tobacco was stored, the fruits 
preserved. 

One fine day in November, Sally saw Hotspur 
go dashing by, her Fairy Prince holding the rein. 

It was like a waft of new, sweet air thus to 
behold him. Too much a child of nature was 
Maid Sally to lose or cast aside the dearest 
fancy of her life as she grew older, and the 
Fairy Prince of poorer days was the Fairy 
Prince still in her deep young heart. 

He was also her hero now. She had helped 
him do battle for his country and hers. He was 
her relation. What a secret to hug within her 
breast ! 

But now, hotter and hotter grew the news 
from all directions. Lord Dunmore, gone from 
Williamsburg, yet made mischief in other parts 
of Virginia. 

And soon came reports of trouble from near 
Norfolk, south of Williamsburg. 

Sir Percival Grandison, who yet lingered in 


THE BATTLE OF GREAT BRIDGE 261 


his Virginia home, no longer tried to keep his 
young son from fighting with the “ rebels.” 
There was in very truth something he kept very 
quiet about, in connection with the Boston 
affair. 

And he was not surprised when, with young 
Spottswood, Norris, Byrd, and others, Lionel 
again mounted Hotspur and went clattering off 
toward Norfolk to see what trouble the British 
were making in that quarter. 

One morning, when December was in its 
second week, Sally was in the wide kitchen 
plucking a goose, that she might learn how, 
when Parson Kendall came to the door, his wig 
somewhat awry, his face flushed with excite- 
ment, his manner hurried. 

“ Good Matilda,” he said to his wife, “ I 
would that a hamper of food might be quickly 
prepared, a roll of linen be made ready, and 
several flasks of your most strengthening tonics 
be got out. I go with our horse Rupert, and 
saddle-bags, a long day’s journey and nearly a 
night’s, to give such comfort as I can to certain 


262 


MAID SALLY 


of our men that lie wounded at Great Bridge, 
near Norfolk. 

“ News hath been brought that on the seventh, 
a battle was fought, and great victory was given 
to the colonists. But young Lionel Grandison 
and Hugh Spottswood of our township are 
among the wounded, and help in caring for the 
injured is called for. 

“ Doctor Hancocke goes in his wagon with 
drugs and potions, and so loud a lament made 
Mammy Leezer, the old colored nurse at Ingle- 
side, begging to go and care for her c chile,’ — 
for so she calleth young Lionel, — that Doctor 
Hancocke will take her along with his medicines 
and bandages. 

“ Sir Percival also hopes she will soon be able 
to return with the young man in charge. He 
scarcely dareth to go himself to the scene of 
conflict, for feeling is bitter against the Tories. 
Lady Gabrielle hath taken to her room with 
cries of anger and sorrow at the news, and as 
for Rosamond Earlscourt, she hath servants, 
smelling-bottles, hot drinks, and all she can 


THE BATTLE OF GREAT BRIDGE 263 

muster about the place attending on her, so 
loud is her grief. 

“ Beshrew me ! but I would like to see were it 
only an ounce of common sense poured into her 
from some bottle or other ! 

“ Now I go to get my camlet ready,” — a great 
cape like a cloak, — “and to roll up a blanket.” 

“ Oh, please ! ” 

Parson Kendall and his wife Matilda turned 
about to see Maid Sally standing with out- 
stretched hands, cheeks burning, eyes full of 
entreaty. 

“ Oh, please let me go ! I will squeeze into 
Doctor Hancocke’s wagon with Mammy Leezer, 
taking but little room. Very, oh, very sorely 
I have longed to do something that would help 
in these days. Let me wait on the wounded. 
I am strong and full of health, and almost a 
woman grown. I can twist a bandage, make 
a posset, mix a medicine, feed the sick. I 
prithee, let me go ! ” 

The parson looked puzzled, Goodwife Kendall 
looked surprised. 


2G4 


MAID SALLY 


“ Dear maid/’ she said, “ it is no easy thing 
to tend on wounded men. One must be strong 
of nerve and firm of hand to deal with the 
injured.” 

“ Have I asked for smelling-salts or shown 
weakness in any way when bad news came ?” 
asked Sally. “ Try me, but try me ! I think 
I could go through fire or through flood to help 
our men. Pray let me go ! ” 

But never a word said Maid Sally about its 
being her kinsman that lay among the wounded. 
And Parson Kendall said : 

“ I like well thy high spirit, maiden, and as 
a woman goeth in our company,” — he turned 
toward his wife, — “ what think you, good Ma- 
tilda, of letting the wench come with us ? ” 

“ I think,” said Goodwife Kendall, “ that 
since she so much desireth it, we might let her 
go.” 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 

While she was making ready, Sally kept 
saying : 

“ I am coming, Fairy Prince, I am coming ! ” 

And a sweet bird of hope was singing in her 
ears that all would yet be well with the brave 
Dream lad of her girlish years. 

“ I will serve the others too,” she said, u for 
in good faith I love my country well.” 

At Great Bridge all was bustle and confusion. 
But the wounded had been carried into a long, 
low building, really a tobacco warehouse, now 
turned into hospital barracks. 

Doctor Hancocke, who had knowledge of 
diseases and wounds as well as of drugs and 
medicines, made himself both useful and welcome. 
He soon found Lionel among the badly wounded, 


266 


MAID SALLY 


his hurt having come through a spent ball that 
hurled the young man against a gun-carriage 
with such force that his back was injured and 
one shoulder put out of joint. Then, as fever 
had set in, the young man was in a bad way. 

Sally could well have both laughed and cried 
at Mammy Leezer when they told her Lionel’s 
case was thought to be serious. 

She put on her most dragoon-like air, and 
seemed defying the whole army to tell her that 
again. 

“Who say dat dat boy am hurt powerful 
bad ? ” she sniffed. “ Ain’t they done been tole 
his ole Mammy am come ? What’s goin’ to be 
de matter with my Mars’ Lion once I gets to 
nussin’ ’im ? They better stop cackling, de 
whole 'caboodle ob dem, and leave my Mars’ 
Lion ’lone with me ! ” 

They were only too glad to have the capable 
old woman around. And in truth, so jealous 
was Mammy Leezer of her charge that she 
would allow no one to assist her day or night 
except Sally, even attending to the wounded 


MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 267 

shoulder herself, which Doctor Hancocke felt 
satisfied she was treating with skill. 

Sally was glad to see in how many ways she 
could make herself useful. She showed fine 
nerve and fettle, even helping to wind the band- 
ages around a wound, and being left in charge 
of certain sick ones while older nurses attended 
to those who were more helpless. . 

For a few days she was allowed to sit by her 
Fairy Prince only while Mammy Leezer made 
his gruel and steeped certain herbs she had 
brought with her. Then Mammy trusted her 
to watch him while she stole away about ten 
minutes at a time to indulge in a comforting 
little smoke. 

Lionel was said to be doing well, although he 
lay with closed eyes and did not seem to know 
any one. His father rode to Great Bridge on 
Lord Rollin, but did not long remain. He was 
not welcome in camp; there was nothing he 
could do, so he went away telling Mammy Leezer 
he should come soon again. 

It was Sally’s best hour of the day when 


268 


MAID SALLY 


Mammy Leezer went to the cook-room to pre- 
pare gruel and she was left alone with her Fairy 
Prince. 

One rosy afternoon in late December, she bent 
over him and gently pushed a lock back from 
his forehead. It would not stay, and for a 
moment she held the fair lock back. 

To her surprise she all at once looked into 
the deep blue eyes, which were open and looking 
directly into her own. 

“ Who is it ? ” he whispered. 

Sally flushed, dimpled, smiled ; but for an 
instant could not turn her eyes away. 

“ Who is it ? ” asked a weak voice. 

“ A Fairy,” she said, in a spirit of mischief. 

u Who is it ? ” came in a little stronger tone. 

Just then Mammy came back, and the ques- 
tion reached her quick ear. 

“ I think he has come to himself,” said Sally, 
as she made way for the delighted old woman. 

“ Who is it ? ” Lionel kept repeating, “ who 
is it ? What is the Fairy’s name ? ” 

“ Now, honey, what you talkin’ ’bout ? ” said 


MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 269 

Mammy, comfortably stirring the gruel she 
held. “ Jus’ you keep quiet and drink this, and 
your ole Mammy have you hoppin’ about as 
spry as a skeeter in de twinklin’ ob an eye.” 

“ No, no, Mammy,” cried the young man, in 
a weak voice, but masterful way, “ who was it 
bent over me ? I must know. They always 
thought me wandering in mind after my fall in 
the pine woods. I saw a Fairy face bending 
over me, and a fair creature gave me water. I 
saw the Fairy again, just a glimpse, and once 
more, just now. I’ll take neither bite nor sup 
till I see her again ! ” 

Sally had disappeared. She grew frightened 
at thought of having the Fairy Prince try to 
find her out, and off she ran as Mammy went 
up to the cot. 

She was quietly feeding a man whose right 
arm was in a sling, when Mammy Leezer’s 
plump, rolling figure came toward her. 

“ Yo’ll done hev to come and see Mars’ Lion,” 
said Mammy, “he’s cornin’ ’roun’ all right 
shor’, for he’s pert as a two-year-ole rooster! 


270 


MAID SALLY 


He won’t take de grool from his ole Mammy, 
nor anyting, till he see de Fairy he done gone 
crazy ’bout. You better get some un else to 
feed dat man, and tote ober to Mars’ Lion.” 

The feeding was really through with, and 
Sally, trembling and flushing, went back to the 
side of her Fairy Prince. 

He held out his hand, and Sally put hers 
into it. 

“ Let me look at you,” he said. 

Sally went nearer. 

“ Yes, it is the very face ! The one that bent 
over me in the woods. Tell me,” he said, “ did 
you not give me water when I lay stunned one 
day near Lover’s Lane ? ” 

“ Yes,” said Sally. 

“ And tell me,” he asked again, his face get- 
ting flushed and his voice rising, “ have I not 
seen your face since, just for an instant ? But 
the eyes, the dimples, the mouth are the same. 
When was it ? ” 

He was getting wrought up, and Mammy 
grew anxious. 


MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 271 

“ Do fo’ de goodness sake tell ’im ebberyting 
you know, and hab done with it ! ” she said, in 
a low tone, twitching Sally’s sleeve. “ It won’t 
do to cross ’im nohow ; he’ll be down with de 
fever jinks, first ting we know.” 

Sally bent over him, her dark eyes meeting 
his blue ones. 

“ They told of your being a prisoner,” she 
said, simply, “and I thought it a shame. I 
wanted to help the country, so I brought you 
Hotspur. You saw me hiding in a tree. Now 
please let me go,” and she tried to draw away 
her hand. 

But the Fairy Prince took the hand in both 
his own and softly kissed it. 

His face paled, and he calmed down as he 
said : 

“ Promise me you will not go away.” 

“I promise not to go away until I must,” 
said Maid Sally. 

Then Mammy fed her “ babby,” and gave him 
a soothing dose of steeped skullcap, which 
drowsy herb soon had him in a quiet sleep. # 


272 


MAID SALLY 


Sally went about in a Fairy-like dream. 

The back of her right hand seemed to have 
been touched with a golden wand where the 
Fairy Prince had kissed it. 

Yet she was puzzling over the question how 
best to answer when her Prince would seek 
to know more about her, as he surely would. 

Tell her own story she never could, at least 
not the first part of it. At length she 
murmured : 

“ Oh, my good Fairy, please tell me once 
more what had I better do?” 

And the Fairy answered : 

“ Why not tell Mammy Leezer the truth 
about the pine woods, and let her repeat it? 
She loves the Fairy Prince with all her heart, 
and would dress up the story in rosiest colors. 

“ What if you were a poor little girl then, or 
thought to be ? Mammy knew you had a fine 
father, and will say so. And what if the Fairy 
Prince finds out that twice you were in a tree 
when he needed help ? Fairies are supposed to 
lurk in forests arid midst trees and flowers. 


MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 273 


“ Mammy can begin the story, you must finish 
it. Tell him of your love for Ingleside, but not 
of the rocky seat. It would not be maidenly or 
needful. Tell him your name, and hide not the 
fact of his relationship.” 

Maid Sally took her good Fairy’s advice, and 
at the story Mammy Leezer cried, “ Sho’ now ! ” 
and “Bress yo’ dear lil heart! ” and “ Lorr de 
massy sakes alive !” until Sally knew how her 
music-full voice and flowery speech would set 
forth all that she would pour into the ears of 
the listening Prince. 

Then for several days, the young Lionel, who 
never tired of the whole pleasing story, was set 
and determined to have Maid Sally near him 
every moment that he could. 

But good Parson Kendall had talked and 
prayed with hurt and troubled men, while Doc- 
tor Hancocke had given medicines and good 
advice, and nursing dames of kind hearts and 
willing hands had waited on the sick. 

Now a fortnight had slipped away since the 
battle of Great Bridge, the wounded men were 


274 


MAID SALLY 


doing well, a number had been taken to their 
homes, and Parson Kendall and Doctor Hancocke 
were about to return homeward. 

The Fairy Prince, still too weak for removal, 
rebelled at thought of missing the sweet face of 
his dear Fairy Girl. 

But Parson Kendall was firm as a rock. 

In vain Mammy Leezer said, with rolling eyes 
and fearful air : 

“ I dunno what de consekens will be, ef dat 
lil missy go ’way ! ” 

The good parson believed that Sally had gone 
forth in time of need, and now that she was no 
longer really needed, she should return to other 
duties. And Sally knew that he was right. 

So, very early one morning, Sally threw her 
Fairy Prince a kiss when he was sleeping and 
nobody saw, for Mammy had advised that he 
should know nought of her going until she must 
tell him she had gone, and long after midnight 
she was back with Goodwife Kendall, who re- 
ceived her with a warm embrace, so truly glad 
was she to have the maiden back again. 


MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 275 

It was a week later that Parson Kendall said 
to Sally, as he again met her in the hall : 

“My dear young damsel, I have but just 
parted from Sir Percival Grandison, who hath 
been here to make inquiries concerning thy- 
self. 

“ He declareth, doth Sir Percival, that you 
have bewitched his son, and that nought will 
do but thou must repair to Ingleside and sit be- 
side him. The young man hath been brought 
by easy stages to his home, but wearies all the 
time for his ‘ Fairy Girl/ 

“ Beshrew me, but I fear thou mayest be in 
very truth a kind of witch ! ” 

The parson’s mouth twitched with a smile he 
tried to keep back. Then he added : 

“ I have laid thy whole story before Sir Per- 
cival, part of which he already knew, and right 
pleased hath he been to find that the young 
maid who has so drawn the fancy of his son is 
of good mind, a lady born, and of kinship with 
his wife, the Lady Gabrielle. 

“ So prepare thyself, Maid Sara Duquesne, 


276 


MAID SALLY 


and in an hour the coach will come to bear thee 
to Ingleside.” 

And to fair Ingleside went Maid Sally. 

The doors opened wide to receive her. For 
the Lady Gabrielle Grandison said that no lack 
of welcome should be shown one of her own 
name and family. 

The Lady Rosamond Earlscourt received her 
but coldly, but Lucre tia was kind and gentle in 
her greeting. 

Never before that she could remember had 
Sally entered so grand a room as the one in 
which sat the Fairy Prince well wrapped about 
with gaily flowered comforters, the wide arm- 
chair drawn up before a great blazing fire. 

Sir Percival Grandison arose from a seat near 
his son as Sally came forward, nor did he longer 
wonder that the warm-hearted Southern lad, 
who was almost a man, had lost his heart to the 
lovely, blushing maiden. 

Goodwife Kendall knew what she was doing 
in arraying Maid Sally in a skirt of crimson 



“MAID SALLY BECAME A FREQUENT GUEST AT INGLESIDE.” 


























































































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MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 277 

bombazine, an overdress of rich silk, and a crim- 
son velvet bodice laced over quillings of white 
muslin, when she went forth to meet her relatives. 

Like a ripe, tropical flower looked the maid 
as she bowed before Sir Percival. 

The Fairy Prince again took her hand in both 
of his and kissed it. 

And while the struggle went on between 
king’s men and colonists, fair Maid Sally became 
a frequent guest at Ingleside. 

The Fairy Prince would have it so. 

She knew that when the spring should come, 
he would go forth under him who was to be the 
great commander-in-chief, George Washington, 
to again do battle for his beloved country. Nor 
would she have him stay. 

And then came a brave, welcome day, when 
Sir Percival Grandison became convinced that 
the colonists were right in resisting the king’s 
rule, and boldly said so. 

The character of Washington, too, so calm, 
so grand, and determined, was that of a man to 


278 


MAID SALLY 


be trusted, and Sir Percival took his stand with 
the American cause, once and for all. 

In February, Lady Rosamond Earlscourt took 
her departure for England, intending to remain 
there. 

Early in June the Fairy Prince was to join a 
company under the commander-in-chief. 

Ah, but that month of May! sweet, sweet 
May ! 

The birds sang as never before. The garden 
bloomed as never bloomed a garden before since 
the world was young. 

Day after day the arbor held the Fairy Prince, 
and beside him sat his Fairy Girl. 

Once Sally peered over the wall. The upper 
stone of her rocky seat had fallen to the ground. 

“ I shall want it no more,” she thought. 

There was a fine party and feast at Ingleside 
shortly before Lionel was to go away. 

Mammy Leezer did her best. There was por- 
cupine marmalade, sorghum foam, salads, nut 
and cheese cakes, macaroon paste, floating-island, 
syllabub, and sangaree. 


MAID SALLY AND HER FAIRY PRINCE 279 

Sally was all in white, white blossoms in her 
red gold hair, white blossoms at her breast. 

As she roamed with Lionel about the lawn 
after the other guests had gone, and they 
stopped for a moment at the summer-house, the 
young man said : 

“ I think of you always, dear, as my Fairy 
Girl.” 

And Maid Sally replied : 

“ I saw you in this garden once and called you 
my Fairy Prince.” 

“ Promise me you will never have any Fairy 
Prince in your heart but me ! ” he cried. 

“ I promise I will never have any Fairy 
Prince in my heart but you,” said Maid Sally. 


THE END. 




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UL, 16 1902 





















JUl. /8 1902 













LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



D005iiaiflT4 


